I never leave a sentence or a paragraph until I'm satisfied with it.
quote by Clifford Geertz

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Related quotes
What I have in advance are people I want to write about and a problem or problems that I see those people encountering and that I want to explore - it all proceeds sentence by sentence, paragraph by paragraph, and scene by scene.
quote by Chaim Potok

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The Purple Cast
A breath is not a word
A whisper is not a sentence
Pain is not a paragraph
But Pride and Prejudice do make a book
What is a word?
Where is a sentence?
Who is paragraph?
When is a book?
All these question race through our minds
The universal quest for understanding
Flat on our backs, we contemplate
While the ambulance siren sounds
poem by Cornelia Ceilings

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Bad Writing
the sentence & the paragraph had agreed upon meeting at dawn
out in the middle of the page
as the reflection off the fine silver pen being lifted by the human hand in the sky
shone off the bright white recycled paper
there stood one strong paragraph,
which
was armed with clever words, quirky verbs & quiet frankly,
a whole slew of other sentences
who may or may not be brought into the fray
with this
vigilante,
who stood a good distance away from the paragraph
with its shadow blotting out part of the page-
the sentence was tight
knit
&
written in a language that the paragraph had never heard of
before-
the paragraph tilted it’s font a bit, to stave off the human shifting the paper,
causing a bit of a breeze across the soft plane,
but the sentence hadn’t come here today
to waste its time flashing its
fashion sense, and in
standard
new times roman,
it spoke out in italics
“we gonna do this or not? ”
& the paragraph,
without a moment’s hesitation,
nodded, saying, in some bold n’ fancy variation of
book antiqua,
“i been ready since i saw the punctuation at the end of your
babbling jumble of foreign words”-
at that point,
the title of the page & the
header
walked in tandem to the place in between both the paragraph
and the sentence-
now equidistant apart from both,
they talked of what had brought both these forms of writing
to the page
this brisk & early morning in
june-
to make a story short,
the foreign language sentence & the
english (current language of commerce) paragraph
had come to this duel over a
beautiful
metaphor-
and while both the title & the header could understand,
having fallen for beautiful metaphors once or twice in their own
multiple drafts, themselves,
it was still a sad sight to see two
strong forms of writing,
battling over one
metaphor,
when there were so many
phrases in the
sea of literature-
the title & the header opened up the utterance
& from that utterance, they pulled two perfect
pistols full of wit
(the weapon of choice for both the paragraph & the sentence) ,
and after handing both of the forms of writing their
prospective pistol,
they stood back and off to the side of the page,
frightened of what was to happen next-
back to back,
the paragraph & the sentence marched away from each other
space by space by space,
to the traditional margins,
and when they both reached them
they turned round quick,
firing their wit at will-
the paragraph,
hefty & edited well,
was able to fire its wit faster,
as it had already gone through so many drafts, and had
honed its skill
whereby each word within it, had its own place
(it was a “ripped” paragraph, if you can picture it-lean & not very wordy at all) ,
however,
though the sentence wasn’t as well formed as the paragraph,
it was sleek & stealthy-
its words rolled off a human’s tongue when they read it
aloud,
and in this, the sentence was able to
wiggle itself around,
missing the mass spray of wit that had been fired by the
paragraph’s pistol-
as in every fight,
there is a winner & a loser,
this one was no different,
and the hefty, well edited paragraph,
had too much to move
and too little time to do so,
when the sentence wielded its wit towards it-
the sentence, relentlessly, kept firing,
not satisfied & not feeling safe,
until the paragraph, with all of its fellow sentences within,
crumbled to the page,
now,
a mere pile of
sentence fragments & misplaced
words & punctuation.
the sentence,
victorious,
nodded to the title & the header, who nodded back,
and walked out of the lamplight & into the shadow
to embrace the sweet warmth of its
beautiful metaphor
which had been watching the wit-fight
behind the margin.
poem by Andrew Delapruch

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Masterpiece
A thought starts a sentence
A sentence forms a train of thought
From that train of thought comes a paragraph
A paragraph starts a work
A work sets a mood and fills the mind
Warms the heart or chills the soul
A work is finished and a masterpiece is made
poem by Matthew Wardell Petersen

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Responsibility
Its not my responsibility
If you say you love me
(ooooooh)
(repeat paragraph)
I know for sometime
One day I would see you
(? ) what you say
Did I get it right
Is it you and me tonight ?
And you looked at me
And I knew wed be together
(be together)
You feel it too
What can we do
(feel, what can you do)
Come on, move up to me
I wanna whisper in your ear now
(do you want me)
When I get you home
Were gonna be alone
Disconnect the phone
When we wake up
You know the room is full of sunshine
We close our eyes and make a wish
Its not my responsibility
If you say you love me
(listen to what I say)
(ooooooh)
Its not my responsibility
If you say you love me
(its true)
(ooooooh)
Hey ! you call me back
cause Im not there when you want me
(do you want me)
The job on the phone
Every night and day
Ive got to get away
And on that we kiss
But I never said I loved you
(I love you)
Lets take it slow
Youve got to, got to let it go
Its not my responsibility
If you say you love me
(ooooooh)
(repeat paragraph)
(want you back, I need you back)
(ooooooh)
(repeat paragraph 5 times)
(want you back)
(I know I do)
(I need you back)
(I feel you do)
(want you back)
(I see you do)
(I need you back)
(I know you do)
(repeat paragraph)
What do you see
When youre looking straight at me
When I look at you
I tell you what I see
You dont belong to me
Sometimes its true
Youre gonna leave it when its over
(its over)
I close my eyes and make a wish
Its not my responsibility
If you say you love me
(ooooooh)
(repeat paragraph 5 times until fade)
song performed by by Heaven 17

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Sentence (to Die)
Sentence has dropped...
Waiting for social terms of thankfulness
Arrangement of next subtle plan of extermination...
Your fantasies are out of hopelessness of time
Not fulfilled expectations of desire and unfulfilment
Sentence has dropped
You creep for your next victim, molest it in dreams
Imaginary crime
New impulses disrupt interior
Suffering of unrealized hopes
Madness
Sentence has dropped
It came the end of satisfied lusts
New impulse penetrates brain
Impossibility of breaking with addiction
Self-annihilation
song performed by by Yattering

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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I Aint Ever Satisfied
I love the things that scare most folks to death
But I aint ever satisfied
Ill stay till the end or till im gasping for breath
But I aint ever satisfied
No, I am never satisfied
I can pretty much come and go as I like
But I aint ever satisfied
Hey, with no bottom line its hard to know wrong from right
But I aint ever satisfied
Ill try anything once but than I do it to death
But I aint ever satisfied
I expect the worse but I hope for the best
Oh, I aint ever satisfied
No, I am never satisfied
No, no, no, no, I am never satisfied
Cantt get enough, no, of nothing
Ive got seven of everything and more in the till
But I aint ever satisfied
You think its dangerous stuff
It aint even a thrill
I aint ever satisfied
Oh, I am never
No, I am never
I dont know why I aint ever satisfied
song performed by by John Mellencamp

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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You're Just Never Satisfied
If you love me. why do you hurt me
Come on baby. don't desert me
I was there when you were in trouble
Now you're fine but I guess you changed your mind
'Cause you're never satisfied
God only know why I try to please you
You're just never satisfied
I don't mind it when you get angry
I'm not asking for you to beg me
All I want to do is remind you
How many times I put my ass on the line
'Cause you're never satisfied
God only know why I try to please you
You're just never satisfied
You're just never satisfied
You don't care if I stuck with you
Covered for you, put up with you
'Cause all you wanna do
Is try your love with somebody new
Ooh
I've been wasting my time
'Cause you're never satisfied
God only know why I try to please you
You're just never satisfied
You're just never satisfied
song performed by by Fountains Of Wayne

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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When people start writing there is this idea that you have to get everything right first time, every sentence has to be perfect, every paragraph has to be perfect, every chapter has to be perfect, but what you're doing is not any kind of public show, until you're ready for it.
quote by Irvine Welsh

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A review was published in Nature, very scathing, essentially calling me incompetent, though they didn't use that word. I am putting a reply on my Web site in a few days, where I go through their arguments, paragraph by paragraph.
quote by Bjorn Lomborg

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A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts.
quote by William Strunk, Jr.

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Vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts.
quote by William Strunk, Jr.

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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A Satisfied Mind
A satisfied mind
Written by j. h. red hayes & jack rhodes
How many times have you heard someone say,
If I had his money, I could do things my way.
But little they know that its so hard to find
One rich man in ten with a satisfied mind.
Once I was winning in fortune and fame;
Everything that I dreamed of to get a start in lifes game.
But suddenly it happened, I lost every dime,
But Im richer by far with a satisfied mind.
Money cant buy back your youth when youre old
Or a friend when youre lonesome or a love thats grown cold;
The wealthiest person is a pauper at times
Compared to the man with a satisfied mind.
When life is over, my time has run out,
My friends and my loved ones Ill leave, theres no doubt.
But one thing for certain, when it comes my time,
Ill leave this old world with a satisfied mind.
song performed by by Bob Dylan

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Unsatisfied
(Original by The Replacements )
Look me in the eye
then, tell me that I'm satisfied
Was you satisfied?
Look me in the eye
then, tell me that I'm satisfied
Hey, are you satisfied?
And it goes so slowly on
Everything I've ever wanted
Tell me what's wrong
Look me in the eye
and tell me that I'm satisfied
Were you satisfied?
Look me in the eye
then, tell me I'm satisfied
And now are you satisfied?
Everything goes
Well, anything goes all of the time
Everything you dream of
is right in front of you
And every dream is a lie
Look me in the eye
And tell me that I'm satisfed
Look me in the eye
Unsatisfied
I'm so, I'm so unsatisfied
I'm so dissatisfied
I'm so, I'm so unsatisfied
I'm so unsatisfied
Well, I'm-a
I'm so, I'm so unsatisfied
I'm so dissatis,dissattis...
I'm so
song performed by by Counting Crows

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Im Satisfied With You
You dont dress up in satin,
You dont wear diamond rings,
But Im satisfied with you.
You look just like an angel but you havent got wings,
But Im satisfied with you.
Id rather have you just the way that you are
Than change you for somebody new.
Maybe I could do better if I reached for a star,
But Im satisfied with you.
Youre not made out of candy
But youre as sweet as you can be
So Im satisfied with you.
I just cant see no reason why you bother with me,
But Im satisfied with you.
I often wonder if its all a mistake;
Its hard to believe that its true.
But if Im only dreaming, I sure dont want to wake,
cause Im satisfied with you.
Im satisfied with you.
song performed by by George Strait

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Im Satisfied With You
You dont dress up in satin,
You dont wear diamond rings,
But Im satisfied with you.
You look just like an angel but you havent got wings,
But Im satisfied with you.
Id rather have you just the way that you are
Than change you for somebody new.
Maybe I could do better if I reached for a star,
But Im satisfied with you.
Youre not made out of candy
But youre as sweet as you can be
So Im satisfied with you.
I just cant see no reason why you bother with me,
But Im satisfied with you.
I often wonder if its all a mistake;
Its hard to believe that its true.
But if Im only dreaming, I sure dont want to wake,
cause Im satisfied with you.
Im satisfied with you.
song performed by by Hank Williams

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Studying
Paragraph after paragraph
Books piled up high
Attempting seemingly in vain
to force feed my brain
as time zips on by.
Vast information
consumed all in one go
only to be forgotten soon as the clock
strikes 'time up' tomorrow.
poem by Shaqueena Celestin

Submitted by Poetry Lover
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A Satisfied Mind
How many times have you heard someone say,
"If I had his money, I could do things my way."
But little they know, its so hard to find
One rich man in ten with a satisfied mind.
Once I was living in fortune and fame,
Everything that I dreamed of to get a start in lifes game.
Then suddenly it happened, I lost every dime.
But Im richer by far with a satisfied mind.
Cause money cant buy back your youth when youre old,
Or a friend when youre lonely
Or a love thats grown cold.
The wealthiest person is a pauper at times,
Compared to the man with a satisfied mind.
When life has ended, my time has run out,
My friends and my loved ones Ill leave, theres no doubt.
But one thing for certain
When it comes my time,
Ill leave this old world
With a satisfied mind.
song performed by by Lindsey Buckingham

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Satisfied Mind
Written by red hayes & jack rhodes.
How many times have you heard someone say,
If I had his money, I could do things my way.
But little they know, its so hard to find
One rich man in ten with a satisfied mind.
Once I was living in fortune and fame,
Everything that I dreamed of to get a start in lifes game.
Then suddenly it happened, I lost every dime.
But Im richer by far with a satisfied mind.
cause money cant buy back your youth when youre old,
Or a friend when youre lonely
Or a love thats grown cold.
The wealthiest person is a pauper at times,
Compared to the man with a satisfied mind.
When life has ended, my time has run out,
My friends and my loved ones Ill leave, theres no doubt.
But one thing for certain
When it comes my time,
Ill leave this old world
With a satisfied mind.
song performed by by Lindsey Buckingham

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Thoughts (reloaded)
She got me worried it’s not funny,
Am not even taking it lightly
She got me thinking,
She got me strategizing,
She got my heart beating,
Soul searching for anything and everything
that's positive, comforting and motivating
But I its not there.
She got me worried it’s not funny,
Am not even taking it lightly
Everything she wrote is on replay,
Every time those words made a sentence,
dark thoughts filled head, my mind.
Every word she wrote is placed in a strange order.
While every time those sentences made a paragraph,
a river of tears filled my eyes.
I mean words you don't want to see in one sentence.
All I am left to do is assume and make my own predictions
and that got my mood down.
She got me worried it’s not funny,
Am not even taking it lightly.
poem by Sakhile 85TEN25 Koaho

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