Elizabeth Barrett Browning Quotes

Are democracy and poetry exclusive of one another and, if so, why?

Poetry always, always, always is a key piece of democracy.

I am writing these poems from inside a lion.

There is no lighter burden, nor more agreeable, than a pen.

I love to create, and to me, the ultimate freedom of expression is a blank canvas or a block of clay to capture whatever emotions your imagination gives it.

Once they're on paper, they're gone. I like to do as much with the words, as far as image goes.

You take stuff from different places, and sometimes you stick a line in because it rhymes, not because it makes sense.

In its truest manifestation, where it gives judgments, poetry is super-luxury. It would be interesting to see what would happen to a High Court judge if he were forced to follow the true poetic formula, doing the job for love, being forced into pubs for relief.

I never abandoned either forms or freedom. I imagine that most of what could be called free verse is in my first book. I got through that fairly early.

Yes, I do often write poems from the mind, but I hope I don't ignore feelings and emotions.

I enjoy the freedom of the blank page.

Could I have chosen my own genius, I should have made myself a great poet.

Under the banner of Romanticism, which broke down old laws in the arts, in philosophy, which called out for unlimited freedom of thought, we called for a political revolution.

I wish to write such rhymes as shall not suggest a restraint, but contrariwise the wildest freedom.

Skill in writing frees you to write what you want to write. It may also show you what you want to write. Craft enables art.

A poet's first contract is with truth.

Poetry is essentially the discovery, the love, the passion for the name of everything.

The freedom of poetic license.

People should be stopped from writing poetry. There's far too much of it. And if they're any good, they'll go ahead anyways.

There is no poetry where there are no mistakes.

Prose is walking; poetry is flying

There is but one poetry,--true poetry.

What makes poetry? A full heart, brimful of one noble passion.

I just want to paint and say what I'm going to say.