George Oppen Quotes

"A pure mathematical series would be one in which each term is derived from the preceding term by a rule."
- George Oppen

"Clarity, clarity, surely clarity is the most beautiful thing in the world, A limited, limiting clarity I have not and never did have any motive of poetry But to achieve clarity."
- George Oppen
(Related: Poetry, Clarity, Motive, World)

"The first question at that time in poetry was simply the question of honesty, of sincerity."
- George Oppen
(Related: Poetry, Time, Honesty, First, Question, Sincerity)

"The situation of the Old Left was the theory of Socialist Realism, etc. It seemed pointless to argue. We stayed carefully away from people who wrote for the New Masses."
- George Oppen
(Related: People, Old, Realism, Theory)

"There are situations which cannot honorably be met by art."
- George Oppen
(Related: Art)

"Things explain each other, not themselves."
- George Oppen

"A discrete series is a series of terms each of which is empirically derived, each one of which is empirically true. And this is the reason for the fragmentary character of those poems."
- George Oppen
(Related: Character, Poems, Reason)