A writer is a maker, not a man of action: his private life is of no concern to anybody but himself, his family and his friends.
W.H. Auden
Writing, Privacy, Creativity, Public Interest, Personal Boundaries
W.H. Auden’s Quotes On Topics
Lust | Discipline | Artistic Growth | Human Limitation | Illness | Common Sense | Commitment | World | Mass Media | Friendship | Personal Truth | Murder | Duty | Identity | Ephemerality | Musical Theater | Pretense | Resistance To Change | Memory | Grace | More
More W.H. Auden Quotes
“The lights must never go out, The music must always play.” W.H. Auden
Continuity, Entertainment, Distraction, Societal Expectations, Metaphor
W.H. Auden Continuity, Entertainment, Distraction, Societal Expectations, Metaphor“In the deserts of the heart Let the healing fountain start.” W.H. Auden
Healing, Emotional Recovery, Metaphor, Inner Peace, Self-discovery
W.H. Auden Healing, Emotional Recovery, Metaphor, Inner Peace, Self-discovery“Poetry might be defined as the clear expression of mixed feelings.” W.H. Auden
Poetry, Emotions, Clarity, Expression, Definition
W.H. Auden Poetry, Emotions, Clarity, Expression, Definition“People always get what they want. But there is a price for everything. Failures are either those who do not know what they want or are not prepared to pay the price asked them. The price varies from individual to individual. Some get things at bargain-sale prices, others only at famine prices. But it is no use grumbling. Whatever price you are asked, you must pay.” W.H. Auden
Desire, Price, Failure, Individual Differences, Acceptance
W.H. Auden Desire, Price, Failure, Individual Differences, Acceptance“I know nothing, except what everyone knows – if there when Grace dances, I should dance.” W.H. Auden
Knowledge, Grace, Participation, Humility, Spiritual Insight
W.H. Auden Knowledge, Grace, Participation, Humility, Spiritual Insight“Every American poet feels that the whole responsibility for contemporary poetry has fallen upon his shoulders, that he is a literary aristocracy of one.” W.H. Auden
Poetry, Responsibility, American Culture, Individuality, Literary Pressure
W.H. Auden Poetry, Responsibility, American Culture, Individuality, Literary Pressure“All works of art are commissioned in the sense that no artist can create one by a simple act of will but must wait until what he believes to be a good idea for a work comes to him.” W.H. Auden
Art, Creativity, Inspiration, Artistic Process, Commissioning
W.H. Auden Art, Creativity, Inspiration, Artistic Process, Commissioning“The most important truths are likely to be those which society at that time least wants to hear.” W.H. Auden
Truth, Society, Resistance, Unpopularity, Social Criticism
W.H. Auden Truth, Society, Resistance, Unpopularity, Social Criticism“A man has his distinctive personal scent which his wife, his children and his dog can recognize. A crowd has a generalized stink. The public is odorless.” W.H. Auden
Individuality, Crowds, Perception, Human Senses, Social Commentary
W.H. Auden Individuality, Crowds, Perception, Human Senses, Social Commentary“The commonest ivory tower is that of the average man, the state of passivity towards experience.” W.H. Auden
Ivory Tower, Average Person, Passivity, Experience, Social Commentary
W.H. Auden Ivory Tower, Average Person, Passivity, Experience, Social Commentary“Of all possible subjects, travel is the most difficult for an artist, as it is the easiest for a journalist.” W.H. Auden
Travel Writing, Art, Journalism, Difficulty, Perspective
W.H. Auden Travel Writing, Art, Journalism, Difficulty, Perspective“Death is the sound of distant thunder at a picnic.” W.H. Auden
Death, Metaphor, Tranquility Disrupted, Mortality, Poetic Imagery
W.H. Auden Death, Metaphor, Tranquility Disrupted, Mortality, Poetic Imagery“History is, strictly speaking, the study of questions; the study of answers belongs to anthropology and sociology.” W.H. Auden
History, Questions, Anthropology, Sociology, Academic Disciplines
W.H. Auden History, Questions, Anthropology, Sociology, Academic Disciplines“It's usually the stupid people that develop long illnesses. You need more than indolence and selfishness, you need endurance to make a good patient.” W.H. Auden
Illness, Intelligence, Patience, Endurance, Social Commentary
W.H. Auden Illness, Intelligence, Patience, Endurance, Social Commentary“Get up very early and get going at once. In fact, work first and wash afterwards.” W.H. Auden
Productivity, Priorities, Work Ethic, Routine, Advice
W.H. Auden Productivity, Priorities, Work Ethic, Routine, Advice“One can only blaspheme if one believes.” W.H. Auden
Belief, Blasphemy, Faith, Contradiction, Religious Insight
W.H. Auden Belief, Blasphemy, Faith, Contradiction, Religious Insight“It's frightening how easy it is to commit murder in America. Just a drink too much. I can see myself doing it. In England, one feels all the social restraints holding one back. But here, anything can happen.” W.H. Auden
Violence, America, Cultural Differences, Social Restraints, Potential For Evil
W.H. Auden Violence, America, Cultural Differences, Social Restraints, Potential For Evil“Even the dreadful martyrdom must run its course Anyhow in a corner, some untidy spot Where the dogs go on with their doggy life.” W.H. Auden
Martyrdom, Mundanity, Suffering, Contrast, Everyday Life
W.H. Auden Martyrdom, Mundanity, Suffering, Contrast, Everyday Life