Quote

About suffering they were never wrong, The Old Masters How well they understood Its human position how it takes place While someone else is eating or opening a window or just walking dully along.

W. H. Auden

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W. H. Auden
Age: 66 †
Born: 1907
Born: February 21
Died: 1973
Died: September 28
Author
Composer
Essayist
Librettist
Literary Critic
Literary Historian
Playwright
Poet
Screenwriter
University Teacher
Writer
Jórvík
Wystan Hugh Auden
Wystan Auden
Wystan H Auden
W. H. Wystan Hugh Auden
Never
Wrong
Masters
Else
Eating
Place
Understood
Someone
Walking
Wells
Along
Dully
Human
Position
Opening
Humans
Takes
Window
Well
Suffering
Sorrow

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The relation of faith between subject and object is unique in every case. Hundreds may believe, but each has to believe by himself.
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In addition to English, at least one ancient language, probably Greek or Hebrew, and two modern languages would be required.
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Literary confessors are contemptible, like beggars who exhibit their sores for money, but not so contemptible as the public that buys their books.
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There's always another story. There's more than meets the eye.
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We till shadowed days are done, We must weep and sing Duty's conscious wrong, The Devil in the clock
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Into this neutral air Where blind skyscrapers use Their full height to proclaim The strength of Collective Man, Each language pours its vain Competitive excuse.
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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.
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One cannot review a bad book without showing off.
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Choice of attention - to pay attention to this and ignore that - is to the inner life what choice of action is to the outer. In both cases, a man is responsible for his choice and must accept the consequences, whatever they may be.
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Criticism should be a casual conversation.
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Sexual fidelity is more important in a homosexual relationship than in any other. In other relationships there are a variety of ties. But here, fidelity is the only bond.
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Every poet has his dream reader: mine keeps a look out for curious prosodic fauna like bacchics and choriambs.
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See without looking, hear without listening, breathe without asking.
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A poet's hope: to be, like some valley cheese, local, but prized elsewhere.
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Intellectual disgrace Stares from every human face, And the seas of pity lie Locked and frozen in each eye.
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For time is inches And the heart's changes, Where ghost has haunted Lost and wanted.
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Laziness acknowledges the relation of the present to the past but ignores its relation to the future impatience acknowledge its relation to the future but ignores its relation to the past neither the lazy nor the impatient man, that is, accepts the present instant in its full reality and so cannot love his neighbour completely.
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The camera may do justice to laughter, but must degrade sorrow.
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One can only blaspheme if one believes.
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The theater has never been any good since the actors became gentlemen.
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