Quote by Harry Mathews

Well, the great thing for me about poetry is that in good poems the dislocation of words, that is to say, the distance between what they say they're saying and what they are actually saying is at its greatest.

Well, the great thing for me about poetry is that in good po

Summary

This quote suggests that poetry has a unique ability to present words in a way that goes beyond their literal meaning. The "dislocation of words" refers to a disconnect between what the words explicitly state and the deeper message or emotion they convey. In good poems, this dislocation is most pronounced, creating a larger gap between surface-level meaning and the true essence of the poem. This distance allows for a richer and more profound experience for the reader, highlighting the power and ambiguity of language in poetry.

Topics

Poetry

By Harry Mathews

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