Quote by Juan Ramon Jimenez
Literature is a state of culture, poetry is a state of grace, before and after culture.
Summary
This quote suggests that literature and poetry occupy different positions in relation to culture. While literature is seen as a product of culture and reflects the society it comes from, poetry is portrayed as something that exists before and transcends cultural influences. It implies that poetry is a more pure and divine form of expression that can elicit a state of grace, untouched by the constraints of culture, both in its production and reception.