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Alice Oswald Quotes


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Quotes by Alice Oswald

Showing 21-30 of 38 Quotes by Alice Oswald

I like Patti Smith's lyrics, and sometimes think I could be influenced by them. But she has a kind of cool that's beyond me.

~Alice Oswald

Topics: Beyond Cool Could Influenced Kind Like Lyrics Me She Smith Sometimes Them Think

Keywords: None


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I try not to invent; I try simply to translate the weird language of the natural world. And I'm not into absolute ownership of things.

~Alice Oswald

Topics: Absolute Invent Language Natural Natural World Ownership Simply Things Translate Try Weird World

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Even when writing your own poems, you need to talk to people; you need to magpie around, getting words and things. I'm very against the celebrity culture that wants to say: 'this is a genius, this is one person who has done something brilliant.' There are always a hundred people in the background who have helped to make it.

~Alice Oswald

Topics: Against Always Around Background Brilliant Celebrity Celebrity Culture Culture Done Even Genius Getting Helped Hundred Make Need Own People Person Poems Say Something Talk Things Very Wants Who Words Writing You Your

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I've always felt, with 'The Iliad,' a real frustration that it's read wrong. That it's turned into this public school poem, which I don't think it is. That glamorising of war, and white-limbed, flowing-haired Greek heroes - it's become a cliched, British empire part of our culture.

~Alice Oswald

Topics: Always Become British British Empire Cliched Culture Empire Felt Frustration Greek Heroes Iliad Our Part Poem Public Public School Read Real School Think Turned War Which Wrong

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It's a question of trying to take down by dictation what's already there. I'm not making something, I'm trying to hear it.

~Alice Oswald

Topics: Down Hear Making Question Something Take Trying

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People are so used to reading novels now, they just read a poem straight through to get the meaning. And that's something totally different from the slow way you read something if it's a tune; which to me a poem has to be.

~Alice Oswald

Topics: Different Get Just Me Meaning Novels Now People Poem Read Reading Slow Something Straight Through Totally Tune Used Way Which You

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I hate not managing to speak clearly. I really hate it. I get a feeling of claustrophobia - like I'm locked in my own head - if what I've said hasn't reached someone.

~Alice Oswald

Topics: Clearly Feeling Get Hate Head Like Locked Managing My Own Own Reached Really Said Someone Speak

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There's a whole range of words that people use about landscape. Pastoral? Idyll? I can't stand them.

~Alice Oswald

Topics: About Landscape People Range Stand Them Use Whole Words

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There's a lot of rage in my head. I like the friction that means there is nothing relaxing about writing a poem. I can't afford to relax in any area of life. You have to keep your senses awake to all the complacency that kicks in - particularly for the English.

~Alice Oswald

Topics: About Afford Any Area Awake Complacency English Friction Head Keep Kicks Life Like Lot Means Nothing Particularly Poem Rage Relax Relaxing Senses Writing You Your

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I think it is the easiest mentality for a human being to be either colonized or to colonize. The structure of either the slave or the master seems to be the simplest and the most relaxing one to slip into. Either you are a slave, and you don't have to think for yourself, or you're a master, and you don't have to work for yourself.

~Alice Oswald

Topics: Being Easiest Either Human Human Being Master Mentality Most Relaxing Seems Simplest Slave Slip Structure Think Work You Yourself I Think

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Biography

Nationality: British

Type: Poet

Born: Unknown

Links

Find Alice Oswald on Amazon

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