Basil Bunting

“A man who collects stamps is a philatelist. A man who collects coins is a numismatist. A man who collects posters is a shit.”

“Prose exists to convey meaning, and no meaning such as prose conveys can be precise.”

“There is no excuse for publishing second-rate matter.”

“A suggestion of music, that is what words are, and readers must be content with that.”

“Poetry, like music, is to be heard.”

“Compose aloud; poetry is a sound.”

“Pens are too light. I praise the chisel.”

“It is time to consider how Domenico Scarlatti condensed so much music into so few bars with never a hint of hurry.”

“The poet's business is to present a matter, as it is, in the best words possible.”

“<strong class="highlight">Poetsstrong> should be strong, simple and sweet.”

“The sound of the words is a part of their meaning, a part which is not negligible.”