Quote

What you compose with is neither here nor there, you compose with words, or you compose with stone plants and trees, or you compose with events the Sheriff's officer, or whatever.

Ian Hamilton Finlay

Change background

T
T
T

Change font

TAGS & TOPICS

Ian Hamilton Finlay
Age: 80 †
Born: 1925
Born: October 28
Died: 2006
Died: March 27
Artist
Horticulturist
Illustrator
Pacifist
Playwright
Poet
Sculptor
Visual Poet
Writer
Words
Stone
Trees
Plant
Sheriff
Stones
Sheriffs
Neither
Compose
Events
Officer
Tree
Officers
Whatever
Plants

More quotes by Ian Hamilton Finlay

Image
But you have to understand that I consider myself a very modest artist, or whatever, and not of importance really at all - it is quite embarrassing to me to be asked my opinion about things. I am only a wee Scottish poet on the outside of everything.
Ian Hamilton Finlay
Image
I am always a beginner. I only try to include different parts of life the pastoral, the tragic, et cetera.
Ian Hamilton Finlay
Image
No, I don't make my work in order to challenge or confuse other people's expectations - I only do what I find natural.
Ian Hamilton Finlay
Image
But at the beginning it was clear to me that concrete poetry was peculiarly suited for using in public settings. This was my idea, but of course I never really much got the chance to do it.
Ian Hamilton Finlay
Image
Certain gardens are described as retreats when they are really attacks.
Ian Hamilton Finlay
Image
For me concrete poetry was a particular way of using language which came out of a particular feeling, and I don't have control over whether this feeling is in me or not.
Ian Hamilton Finlay
Image
As a friendly one. I would still like to write concrete poems, but I can only do it sometimes.
Ian Hamilton Finlay
Image
I am not a modern man, I am just a wee old fashioned one.
Ian Hamilton Finlay
Image
Little Sparta is a garden in the traditional sense. It is perhaps not like other modern gardens, but I think that other times would have had no difficulty with it.
Ian Hamilton Finlay