At somewhere around 10 syllables, the English poetic line is at its most relaxed and manageable. James Fenton More Quotes by James Fenton More Quotes From James Fenton Lyric poetry is, of course, musical in origin. I do know that what happened to poetry in the twentieth century was that it began to be written for the page. When it's a question of typography, why not? Poets have done beautiful things with typography - Apollinaire's 'Calligrammes,' that sort of thing. James Fenton musicallyric-poetrybeautiful The writing of a poem is like a child throwing stones into a mineshaft. You compose first, then you listen for the reverberation. James Fenton poetrywritingchildren Imitation, if it is not forgery, is a fine thing. It stems from a generous impulse, and a realistic sense of what can and cannot be done. James Fenton imitationrealisticdone The lullaby is the spell whereby the mother attempts to transform herself back from an ogre to a saint. James Fenton humorousmommother In rap, as in most popular lyrics, a very low standard is set for rhyme; but this was not always the case with popular music. James Fenton rapcaseslows Windbags can be right. Aphorists can be wrong. It is a tough world. James Fenton tough-worldtoughworld Saigon was an addicted city, and we were the drug: the corruption of children, the mutilation of young men, the prostitution of women, the humiliation of the old, the division of the family, the division of the country-it had all been done in our name. . . . The French city . . . had represented the opium stage of the addiction. With the Americans had begun the heroin phase. James Fenton warcountrychildren Poetry carries its history within it, and it is oral in origin. Its transmission was oral. James Fenton transmissioncarrie Babies are not brought by storks and poets are not produced by workshops. James Fenton workshopspoetrybaby A glance at the history of European poetry is enough to inform us that rhyme itself is not indispensable. Latin poetry in the classical age had no use for it, and the kind of Latin poetry that does rhyme - as for instance the medieval Carmina Burana - tends to be somewhat crude stuff in comparison with the classical verse that doesn't. James Fenton agelatindoe Those who actually set out to see the fall of a city or those who choose to go to a front line, are obviously asking themselves to what extent they are cowards. But the tests they set themselves - there is a dead body, can you bear to look at it? - are nothing in comparison with the tests that are sprung on them. It is not the obvious tests that matter (do you go to pieces in a mortar attack?) but the unexpected ones (here is a man on the run, seeking your help - can you face him honestly?). James Fenton runningwarfall Hearing that the same men who brought us 'South Park' were mounting a musical to be called 'The Book of Mormon,' we were tempted to turn away, as from an inevitable massacre. James Fenton musicalmenbook What happened to poetry in the twentieth century was that it began to be written for the page. James Fenton happenedpagescentury A cabaret song has got to be written - for the middle voice, ideally - because you've got to hear the wit of the words. And a cabaret song gives the singer room to act, more even than an opera singer. James Fenton voicesonggiving Writing for the page is only one form of writing for the eye. Wherever solemn inscriptions are put up in public places, there is a sense that the site and the occasion demand a form of writing which goes beyond plain informative prose. Each word is so valued that the letters forming it are seen as objects of solemn beauty. James Fenton demandeyewriting When we study Shakespeare on the page, for academic purposes, we may require all kinds of help. Generally, we read him in modern spelling and with modern punctuation, and with notes. But any poetry that is performed - from song lyric to tragic speech - must make its point, as it were, without reference back. James Fenton purposemaysong Free verse seemed democratic because it offered freedom of access to writers. And those who disdained free verse would always be open to accusations of elitism, mandarinism. Open form was like common ground on which all might graze their cattle - it was not to be closed in by usurping landlords. James Fenton accusationcommonmight When Mr Ackroyd says that in the 18th century, stranglers bit off the noses of their victims, I feel that he probably knows what he is talking about. I just wish he hadn't told me. James Fenton noseswishtalking My sonnet asserts that the sonnet still lives. My epic, should such fortune befall me, asserts that the heroic narrative is not lost - that it is born again. James Fenton heroicnarrativeepic The composer does not want the self-sufficiency of a richly complex text: he or she wants to feel that the text is something in need of musical setting. James Fenton musicalselfdoe
