Praise will lead you to vanity, and blame will lead you to self-pity, and both are bad for writers. John Berryman More Quotes by John Berryman More Quotes From John Berryman Bats have no bankers and they do not drink and cannot be arrested and pay no tax and, in general, bats have it made. John Berryman drinkingsongfunny The artist is extremely lucky who is presented with the worst possible ordeal which will not actually kill him. At that point, he's in business. John Berryman worstluckyart We must travel in the direction of our fear. John Berryman runningmotivationalinspirational So if I were talking to a young writer, I would recommend the cultivation of extreme indifference to both praise and blame because praise will lead you to vanity, and blame will lead you to self-pity, and both are bad for writers. John Berryman vanityselftalking Two daiquiris withdrew into a corner of a gorgeous room and one told the other a lie. John Berryman twolyingrooms I do strongly feel that among the greatest pieces of luck for high achievement is ordeal. Certain great artists can make out without it, Titian and others, but mostly you need ordeal. My idea is this: the artist is extremely lucky who is presented with the worst possible ordeal which will not actually kill him. At that point, he's in business: Beethoven's deafness, Goya's deafness, Milton's blindness, that kind of thing. John Berryman achievementartistideas You should always be trying to write a poem you are unable to write, a poem you lack the technique, the language, the courage to achieve. Otherwise you're merely imitating yourself, going nowhere, because that's always easiest. John Berryman techniquewritingtrying I am so wise I had my mouth sewn shut. John Berryman mouthswiselife That is our ‘pointed task. Love & die. John Berryman diestasks I conclude now I have no inner resources, because I am heavy bored. Peoples bore me, literature bores me, especially great literature. John Berryman resourcesboredliterature Ever to confess you're bored John Berryman resourcesboredmean This world is gradually becoming a place Where I do not care to be any more. John Berryman becomingcareworld I can offer you only: this world like a knife John Berryman offersknivesworld We are using our own skins for wallpaper and we cannot win. John Berryman chaosskinswinning These Songs are not meant to be understood, you understand. They are only meant to terrify & comfort. John Berryman understoodcomfortsong Life, friends, is boring. We must not say so. After all, the sky flashes, the great sea yearns, we ourselves flash and yearn, and moreover my mother told me as a boy (repeatedly) 'Ever to confess you're bored means you have no inner Resources.' I conclude now I have no inner resources, because I am heavy bored. John Berryman motherboysmean Them lady poets must not marry, pal. John Berryman palspoet There is no such thing as Freedom (though it is the most important condition of human life, after Humility, -which does not exist either). There is only Slavery (walls around one) and absence-of-Slavery (ability to walk in any direction, or to remain still). John Berryman wallimportanthumility One must be ruthless with one's own writing or someone else will be. John Berryman ruthlesswriting I didn't want to be like Yeats; I wanted to be Yeats. John Berryman yeatswantwriting
