A craftsman knows in advance what the finished result will be, while the artist knows only what it will be when he has finished it.

The closest modern equivalent to the Homeric hero is the ace fighter pilot.

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.

I said earlier that I do not believe an artist's life throws much light upon his works. I do believe, however, that, more often than most people realize, his works may throw light upon his life. An artist with certain imaginative ideas in his head may then involve himself in relationships which are congenial to them.

No poet or novelist wishes he were the only one who ever lived, but most of them wish they were the only one alive, and quite a number fondly believe their wish has been granted.

Shall memory restore The steps and the shore, The face and the meeting place.

Poetry might be defined as the clear expression of mixed feelings.