The Good Quote
Open menu
Quotes
Authors
Topics
More
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
Home
Authors
Charles Olson
American
Poet
About the author
I defer to all these other American poets who, for some reason, I both envy and admire.
Charles Olson,
American
Poet
#Reason
#American
#Poets
#Envy
The poem, for me, is simply the first sound realized in the modality of being.
Charles Olson,
American
Poet
#Being
#First
#Sound
When will government cease being a nuisance to everybody?
Charles Olson,
American
Poet
#Will
#Being
#Government
We're all moving, moving, moving. Isn't it nice?
Charles Olson,
American
Poet
We all want what's been suddenly disallowed.
Charles Olson,
American
Poet
#Want
This morning of the small snow I count the blessings, the leak in the faucet which makes of the sink time, the drop of the water on water.
Charles Olson,
American
Poet
#Time
#Blessings
#Water
#Snow
You can read everybody. It's not even interesting to tell the truth because to some extent it's false.
Charles Olson,
American
Poet
#Truth
This country has been unconscious, and it's got to awake. That's my belief.
Charles Olson,
American
Poet
#Country
#Belief
#Unconscious
There is a grace of life which is still yours, my dear Europe.
Charles Olson,
American
Poet
#Life
#Grace
#Europe
The heroes of the present will retreat to the imitation they are anyhow.
Charles Olson,
American
Poet
#Will
#Present
#Heroes
#Imitation
You can do anything, literally, right? That's one of the exciting possibilities of the present.
Charles Olson,
American
Poet
#Right
#Possibilities
#Present
I'm sorry, but I was born with a towel on my head.
Charles Olson,
American
Poet
I'm one of the cliches that has grown up.
Charles Olson,
American
Poet
#Cliches
I was playing catch with the European audience.
Charles Olson,
American
Poet
I sound like Homer. I mean Winslow Homer.
Charles Olson,
American
Poet
#Sound
I remember way back when I was young, 10 years ago.
Charles Olson,
American
Poet
#Years
I don't live for poetry. I live far more than anybody else does.
Charles Olson,
American
Poet
#Poetry
I am happy to have some friends here in the kitchen.
Charles Olson,
American
Poet
#Friends
#Kitchen
Forgive me if I sleep until I wake up.
Charles Olson,
American
Poet
#Sleep
Fact is based upon vulgar matter.
Charles Olson,
American
Poet
#Fact
Atlantis will rise again.
Charles Olson,
American
Poet
#Will
You don't help people in your poems. I've been trying to help people all my life - that's my trouble.
Charles Olson,
American
Poet
#Life
#People
#Trouble
#Trying
#Help
#Poems
I hope you're representing the devil's advocate.
Charles Olson,
American
Poet
#Hope
#Devil
I'm trying to climb up both walls at once.
Charles Olson,
American
Poet
#Trying