Marianne Moore
Marianne Moore
Marianne Craig Moorewas an American Modernist poet, critic, translator, and editor. Her poetry is noted for formal innovation, precise diction, irony, and wit...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionPoet
Date of Birth15 November 1887
CityKirkwood, MO
CountryUnited States of America
deepest feeling feelings itself restraint shows
The deepest feeling always shows itself in silence; not in silence, but restraint
calling reason categories
I see no reason for calling my work poetry except that there is no other category in which to put it.
reading perfect genuine
I, too, dislike it. Reading it, however, with a perfect contempt for it, one discovers in it, after all, a place for the genuine.
people
My father used to say superior people never make long visits.
doubt explains psychology
Psychology which explains everything explains nothing, and we are still in doubt
american-poet itself shows
The deepest feeling always shows itself in silence; not in silence, but restraint.
anybody books-and-reading everybody
anybody can write a book, 'cause everybody has a story to tell
fabric excitement gravity
In a poem the excitement has to maintain itself. I am governed by the pull of the sentence as the pull of a fabric is governed by gravity.
trust sickness contagion
As contagion of sickness makes sickness, contagion of trust can make trust.
poetry unconscious amount
There is a great amount of poetry in unconscious fastidiousness.
imagination poetry proficiency
Poetry is a peerless proficiency of the imagination.
guilt safe naked
What is our innocence, What is our guilt? All are naked, none is safe.
animal years steps
Among animals, one has a sense of humor. Humor saves a few steps, it saves years.
temptation blunders appraisal
When one cannot appraise out of one's own experience, the temptation to blunder is minimized, but even when one can, appraisal seems chiefly useful as appraisal of the appraiser.