The purblind majority quite honestly believed that literature was meant to mimic human life, and that it did so. And in consequence, their love-affairs, their maxims, their so-called natural ties and instincts, and above all, their wickedness, became just so many bungling plagiarisms from something they had read, in a novel or a Bible or a poem or a newspaper. People progressed from the kindergarten to the cemetery assuming that their emotion at every crisis was what books taught them was the appropriate emotion, and without noticing that it was in reality something quite different. Human life was a distorting tarnished mirror held up to literature: this much at least of Wilde's old paradox — that life mimicked art — was indisputable. Human life,
very clumsily, tried to reproduce the printed word.
quote by James Branch Cabell
Submitted by Veronica Serbanoiu
Vote! | Copy!
Related quotes
Oh The Poems
OH THE POEMS AND THE POEMS AND THE POEMS
Oh the poems and the poems and the poems
Oh the love of Literature
Oh all that stuff
I have given my life to-
Words and meanings and feelings
Pages and pages and pages –
What it is all this literary life for?
When out the window out the door
With our eyes we see in an instant other worlds other dreams?
I don’t know and I will never know
And Literature is certainly far more than I can say it is-
Oh the poems and this poem and this day turning grey
And all my life old and old and more old and more old-
Oh why oh why oh why
And always back to God
My last rescue and refuge and escape
I who have read so much Great Literature
And can only write this-
Oh the why and the oh oh oh and the words
And the whole world of Literature
I would belong to and do not.
Oh the words oh the world oh the Literature
Oh God help me please can’t you please help me a little or not?
poem by Shalom Freedman
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
The very essence of literature is the war between emotion and intellect, between life and death. When literature becomes too intellectual -- when it begins to ignore the passions, the motions -- it becomes sterile, silly, and actually without substance.
quote by Isaac Bashevis Singer
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
The very essence of literature is the war between emotion and intellect, between life and death. When literature becomes too intellectual - when it begins to ignore the passions, the emotions - it becomes sterile, silly, and actually without substance.
quote by Isaac Bashevis Singer
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
The very essence of literature is the war between emotion and intellect, between life and death. When literature becomes too intellectual - when it begins to ignore the passions, the motions - it becomes sterile, silly, and actually without substance.
Isaac Bashevis Singer in New York Times Magazine (26 November 1978)
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Choice of life
Human have a gift named a choice
Human have an illusion named a choice
There is no other creature that should decide more to live
Human have a hope called a choice
Human have despair called a choice
There is no other creature that trapped often in such continuous and repeat conflict
Some could turn good because one choice
Some could turn bad because one choice
All have the consequence but right or wrong will never be known before
Human have a wish for a choice
Human have regret for a choice
There is no other creature that always goes between happiness and sorrow
When a choice made not all may be satisfied
When a choice made not all may be rescued
But the change will never happened if we stay silent
Human have fate to choose
Human also choose their fate
The interaction of those things will create what people called the choice of life
poem by Maria Sudibyo
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Books Are Burning
Books are burning
In the main square, and I saw there
The first eating the text
Books are burning
In the still air
And you know where they burn books
People are next
I believe the printed word should be forgiven
Doesnt matter what it said
Wisdom hotline from the dead back to the living
Key to the larder for your heart and head
Books are burning
In our own town, watch us turn round
And cast our glances elsewhere
Books are burning
In the playground
Smell of burnt book is not unlike human hair
I believe the printed word is more than sacred
Beyond the gauge of good or bad
The human right to let your soul fly free and naked
Above the violence of the fearful and sad
The church of matches
Anoints in ignorance with gasoline
The church of matches
Grows fat by breathing in the smoke of dreams
Its quite obscene
Books are burning
More each day now, and I pray now
You boys will tire of these games
Books are burning
I hope somehow, this will allow
A phoenix up from the flames
song performed by by Xtc
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Pretender
You pretend, you hide
You turn your face away
Reality is an illusion
And disillusioned you stay
You say the animal calls
But you're more human than me
What is uncaged wildness
Just human emotion set free
The oyster i once called you
Your little shell you defend
A pretender you are
You do nought nut pretend
poem by Richa Mehta
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
The Boss
(nickolas ashford/valerie simpson)
Fancy me
Thought I had my degree
In life and how love
Ought to be a run
I had a one step plan to prove it
Guide in my pocket for fools
Folly and fun
Love had to show me one thing
I was so right
So right
Thought I could turn emotion
On and off
I was so sure
So sure (I was so sure)
But love taught me
Who was who was who was the boss
(taught me who was who was the boss)
Id defy
Anyone who claimed that i
Didnt control whatever moved in my soul
I could tempt
Touch delight
Just because you fell for me
Why should I feel uptight
Love had to show me one thing:
I was so right
So right
Thought I could turn emotion
On and off
I was so sure
So sure (I was so sure)
But love taught me
Who was who was who was the boss
(taught me who was who was the boss)
Love taught me
Taught me
Taught me
Taught me
I was so right
So right
Thought I could turn emotion
On and off
I was so sure
So sure (I was so sure)
But love taught me
Who was who was who was the boss
(taught me who was who was the boss)
song performed by by Diana Ross
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Boss
(Nickolas Ashford/Valerie Simpson)
Fancy me
Thought I had my degree
In life and how love
Ought to be a run
I had a one step plan to prove it
Guide in my pocket for fools
Folly and fun
Love had to show me one thing
I was so right
So right
Thought I could turn emotion
On and off
I was so sure
So sure (I was so sure)
But love taught me
Who was who was who was the boss
(Taught me who was who was the boss)
I'd defy
Anyone who claimed that I
Didn't control whatever moved in my soul
I could tempt
Touch delight
Just because you fell for me
Why should I feel uptight
Love had to show me one thing:
I was so right
So right
Thought I could turn emotion
On and off
I was so sure
So sure (I was so sure)
But love taught me
Who was who was who was the boss
(Taught me who was who was the boss)
Love taught me
Taught me
Taught me
Taught me
I was so right
So right
Thought I could turn emotion
On and off
I was so sure
So sure (I was so sure)
But love taught me
Who was who was who was the boss
(Taught me who was who was the boss)
song performed by by Diana Ross
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Sonnet: To God, All Men Are Alike
Which human life is superior in cost?
Which human blood is royal all along?
Which human breed has been always foremost?
Which human voice has sung world's most hit-song?
Nothing can be for long, the best, purest;
All human lives are equal 'fore God's eyes;
Reward/punishment of God is fairest;
Can God be God if He should reward vice?
Like pendulum, our life keeps swinging forth;
And see-saw-like, we have our ups and downs;
Despite iniquities, living is worth;
A circus-show has many, also clowns.
Never look down upon another life,
Lest angered God serves us enormous strife.
poem by John Celes
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Short Message
history written and repeated
human learn and human failed
life circles
born, grow, repro then die
Parker Pyne said that there's five cause unhappiness in human statistic
'why am I living? '
is the common question in daily life and story
only human have a thought to ask about that
maybe you'll throw your safety and go to Alaska
or doesn't care about Copernicus but knows well about smoke ash
or maybe you're pretty satisfy to be watcher all long your life
there's a lot reasons to answer in human language
to argue and doubt how much your highest price
but you should know that this life is not fiction
you really are connected to people and some place
one single grain sand that create great long and beautiful beach
no matter how vaguely your explain about your self
or slightly your dream becoming true
worth the life
poem by Maria Sudibyo
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Embryonic Homicide
Life is same, no matter young or old;
Life is precious, more than silver, gold;
Life isn’t commodity that is sold;
Life’s from God, not from this nasty world!
Alike is life in children and adults;
Alike is life ‘in utero’, ‘ex womb’;
Alike is life of born and that unborn;
All human lives are equal before God.
All human beings are in God’s semblance;
Each body gets a soul that everlasts;
The love of God is shown to all creatures;
The Life-Giver alone can take back life!
The Embryo has life that’s God-destined;
The Embryo was formed by love of God;
The Embryo must grow by divine Word;
The Embryo has soul like anyone!
Why kill the embryo for its small parts?
Why destroy one life to save another?
Why treat the embryo with great disdain?
Why murder lives in womb for sake of born?
The embryo is healthy, not diseased;
The embryo is living, not deceased;
The embryo is child, awaiting birth;
The embryo is human too and worth!
No beast kills babies that are still unborn;
The world demands kindness to animals;
Why not protect the human lives unborn?
Preserve the dignity of life in womb!
Could God watch human lives desecrated?
Would God spare merciless human beings?
The embryonic life is life as well;
All ruthless murderers shall land in hell!
Copyright by Dr John Celes 3-9-2009
poem by John Celes
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
A life without a life...
It’s a life with commitment
It’s a life without complement
It’s a life with compromise
It’s a life without appraise
It’s a life with emotion
It’s a life without inspiration
It’s a life with amuse
It’s a life without refuse
It’s a life with tear & grin
It’s a life without dream
It’s a life with touch
It’s a life without trust
It’s a life with pain
It’s a life without importance
It’s a life with a relation
It’s a life without love and affection
Is it a life or only Compromise?
poem by Sumita Datta
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
I Left My Love Behind I Left My Life Behind
I left my love behind I left my life behind
Now I am just an animal no more a human,
Animal who eats drink sleep and reproduce
I killed my conscious and awareness too
I do everything walk, watch TV look for family
But never follow desire talking to my love on phone
Suppress my feeling to look at him even on internet
May be every human is doing same as I did
Leave his love behind and walk away from life
Just keeping animal alive
poem by Saloni Choudhary
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Of course the illusion of art is to make one believe that great literature is very close to life, but exactly the opposite is true. Life is amorphous, literature is formal.
quote by Francoise Sagan
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Not Only Human
Morning is almost here - let it wait
I just want to lie here awhile, tempting fate
I dont think I could breathe now with you gone
But its not weakness its just something Ive begun
Maybe theres a light thats always on
Maybe were not only human, maybe
Maybe theres a light thats always on
And were not only human
When youre sleeping your ceramic
Youre surrounded by little stars
Every shimmer is a searchlight
Every planet is ours
Change the street change the decade
Still the longings left inside
But why am I too small to carry you?
Why does twilight make me cry?
Maybe theres a light thats always on
Maybe were not only human, maybe
Maybe theres a light thats always on
And were not only human
When all is said and done
When all the weight is gone
When all is said and done
When all the weight is gone
Were not only human
Life is something set to music
I can hear it when Im sad
Theres a chord in every muscle
Every kiss you ever had
Theres a power when youre near me
In our heads or in our bones
I know nothing but Im guessing
When we die were not alone
Maybe theres a light thats always on
Maybe were not only human, maybe
Maybe theres a light thats always on
And were not only human
When all is said and done
When all the weight is gone
When all is said and done
When all the weight is gone
Were not only human
Not only human
Not only human
Not only human
Not only, yeah, human.
No, human, human.
Human.
song performed by by Heather Nova
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
The Evil World
The evil world is like hell with human life,
So for almost every man beats his wife.
No place is worser than a life in a cell,
Except for eternity with demons in hell.
The evil world is filled with worthless life,
Yet life is sometimes worth living.
At night I lay in my bed
Wondering when is everyone dead.
Yet the evil world is like hell:
Evil conquers most human beings.
Without light or good the human race
Will seize to exist.
You must fulfill the life of man.
The evil world is like hell with human life.
poem by Tamika Taylor
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
About Life
LIFE goes fast
LIFE has to last
LIFE has crime in it's own time
LIFE can have a war
LIFE has a law
LIFE can be sad
LIFE can be bad
IN LIFE there can be fights and we have human rights
LIFE we can love just like a white dove
IN LIFE we smile and can travel every mile
LIFE has seasons
LIFE has reasons
LIFE there is rich and poor who want more
LIFE can be funny just like money
IN LIFE you only get one chance
SO LETS HAVE OUR LAST DANCE! ! ! ...
poem by Breaze Openshaw
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
New Way To Be Human
Every day it's the same thing
Another trend has begun
Hey kids, this might be the one
It's a race to be noticed
And it's leaving us numb
Hey kids, we can't be the ones
With all of our fashion, we're still incomplete
The God of redemption can break our routine
There's a new way to be human
It's nothing we've ever been
There's a new way to be human, new way to be human
And where is our inspiration
When all the heroes are gone
Hey kids, could we be the ones?
Cuz nobody's famous, and nobody's fine
We all need forgiveness, we're longing inside
There's a new way to be human
It's nothing we've ever been
There's a new way to be human
Spreading under my skin
There's a new way to be human
Where divinity bends
It's a new way to be human, new way to be human
I'll find your love across my impossible space
You've created me, take me out of me into
A new way to be human, to a new way to be human
You're a new way to be human
Where my humanity bends
To a new way to be human
Redemption begins
You're a new way to be human
You're a new way to be human
You're the only way to be human
You're a new way to be human
song performed by by Switchfoot
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
On Finding the The Holy Bible
O God,
If I had found the bible earlier,
How much better it would have been for me!
I wouldn’t have been the kind of guy I’d been
In yester-years, when I was just a lad;
If I had found the bible earlier,
I could have been a much better person
Than what I am just now, in middle-age!
Anyway, Lord, I’m happy I had found
The sacred book at least now; O help me
To read each word and every line clearly
And understand its meaning properly;
And follow instructions given by You,
All through the rest of my life religiously.
And spread the Gospel to the world of men
Remaining ignorant of the one God,
The one, living, Most high and Creator
Of Universe; of things known and unknown.
Whose love alone has given us human form;
With soul and semblance to His own image!
We live on earth and every moment passed,
All by Your kindness, blessings, love and care.
God, help me remember the lines by heart,
Reproduce them spontaneously for life,
So that, I can never sin anymore,
Nor go astray from the Road to Heaven!
O Lord,
The Holy Bible is my food and drink
To my soul, long athirst and hungry;
And yearning for peace and eternal rest,
And freedom from a mad, material world!
Copyright by Dr John Celes 12-6-2006
poem by John Celes
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!