Quotables Poetry Blogathon Part 4 – Aiko Harman, poems to inspire, motivate and love!
We’re excited to welcome Edinburgh-based (and Los Angeles native) poet Aiko Harman to the Quotables National Poetry Day Blogathon. Aiko is a widely published poet, part of the Forest Publications editorial team, and was a Poet in Residence at the 5th London Poetry Festival in 2009. Read more from Aiko over at her blog.
Aiko has hand-picked a few of her favourite poetry quotables to help us celebrate National Poetry Day, so make yourself a cuppa and enjoy…
My favourite poetry quotes fall into a few broad categories: ones that inspire, motivate, or that I wish I’d said. Here are a handful for your National Poetry Day perusal:
The Inspirational
“Look around – there’s only one thing of danger for you here – poetry.”
- Pablo Neruda,
Interrogated on his death bed, Neruda had that to say to the armed guards.
“like a piece of ice on a hot stove the poem must ride on its own melting”
- Robert Frost, from “The Figure a Poem Makes”.
Make your poetry sizzle!
“When making an axe handle / the pattern is not far off.”
- Gary Snyder, ‘Axe Handles’.
He’s quoting Ezra Pound in his poem here, but I’m inspired by the notion of a thing being made in the image of its maker. The poem ends:
It reminds me that as a writer I am shaped by what I read and hear everyday, and to be constantly vigilant of the people and things that influence me.
The Motivational
- Elizabeth Bishop’s ‘One Art’.
The quote is taken out of context a bit, but reminds me to be brave with my writing. To ‘Write it!’, even when it’s difficult, or feels bad or imperfect. There will be plenty of time to re-Write it! later, but getting it onto the page first is key.
- William Blake, from The Marriage of Heaven and Hell.
This one sat on my computer desktop for quite some time as a constant reminder not to let my goals and desires be stifled by life’s roadblocks. Plus, ‘shadow of desire’ is an epic turn of phrase, don’t you think?
The Dream Quotes!
“i carry your heart with me (i carry it in / my heart)”
- ee cummings.
A real cellar door of a phrase – even the line carries its ‘heart’ within it. The meaning is perfectly made, a real wedding vow kind of line.
“The air feels punished after you speak. / You’re one of the incurables. / I love that in you.”
- Cal Bedient, ‘Back a Van Gogh Yellow’.
Easily my favourite opening stanza to any poem. So dark and romantic. I’m curious about the characters, but the mood is set immediately.
Happy National Poetry Day!
- Aiko Harman
Don’t forget to add your favourite poetry quotes to Quotables or tweet them our way @QuotablesHQ, and if you’ve been writing about National Poetry Day online and would like a mention in our bumper blog round-up, just drop us a line.
Image from vi.sualize.us
