Definition, rationality, and structure are ways of seeing, but they become prisons when they blank out other ways of seeing. A. R. Ammons blankdefinitionprison Change image and share on social
Poetry leads us to the unstructured sources of our beings, to the unknown, and returns us to our rational, structured selves refreshed. A. R. Ammons beingleadpoetry Change image and share on social
Is it not careless to become too local when there are four hundred billion stars in our galaxy alone. A. R. Ammons billioncarelessgalaxy Change image and share on social
If we ask a vague question, such as, 'What is poetry?' we expect a vague answer, such as, 'Poetry is the music of words,' or 'Poetry is the linguistic correction of disorder.' A. R. Ammons answercorrectiondisorder Change image and share on social
Anything looked at closely becomes wonderful. A. R. Ammons closelylookwonderful Change image and share on social
The poet exposes himself to the risk. All that has been said about poetry, all that he has learned about poetry, is only a partial assurance. A. R. Ammons assuranceexposelearn Change image and share on social
A poem generated by its own laws may be unrealized and bad in terms of so-called objective principles of taste, judgement, deduction. A. R. Ammons badcalldeduction Change image and share on social
I must stress here the point that I appreciate clarity, order, meaning, structure, rationality: they are necessary to whatever provisional stability we have, and they can be the agents of gradual and successful change. A. R. Ammons agentchangeclarity share on social
Probably all the attention to poetry results in some value, though the attention is more often directed to lesser than to greater values. A. R. Ammons attentiondirectgreat Change image and share on social