73 Quotes by Howard Nemerov

Nothing in the universe can travel at the speed of light, they say, forgetful of the shadow’s speed.

I do insist on making what I hope is sense so there’s always a coherent narrative or argument that the reader can follow.

I am not at all clear what free verse is anymore. That’s one of the things you learn not to know.

Short stories amount for the most part to parlour tricks, party favours with built-in snappers, gadgets for including recognition and reversals.

I’ve never read a political poem that’s accomplished anything. Poetry makes things happen, but rarely what the poet wants.

Robert Frost had always said you mustn’t think of the last line first, or it’s only a fake poem, not a real one. I’m inclined to agree.

Language is remarkable, except under the extreme constraints of mathematics and logic, it never can talk only about what it’s supposed to talk about but is always spreading around.

The nice thing about the Bible is it doesn’t give you too many facts. Two an a half lines and it tells you the whole story and that leaves you a great deal of freedom to elaborate on how it might have happened.

Writing is like the relationship with your bowels. First you can, then you can’t. Finally, you must. Only then should you reach for the paper.