W. H. Auden Quotes

The primary function of poetry, as of all the arts, is to make us more aware of ourselves and the world around us. I do not know if such increased awareness makes us more moral or more efficient. I hope not. I think it makes us more human, and I am quite certain it makes us more difficult to deceive.

W. H. Auden

• World
• Hope
• Poetry
• Moral

• Previous
• Next

Quotes to Explore

• I love when you aren't accountable to anybody or anything, and you can just be wherever you are.

  

  Zachary Quinto
  • Love
  • You
  • Just

• When I was in the running for the role of Elphaba, I knew it was important to research and study as much background information as I could, so I got my head stuck into 'Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West' by Gregory Maguire, and I believe I lost many days, weeks, and months reading it - I was captivated!

  

  Rachel Tucker
  • Life
  • Believe
  • Important

• You know, I'm an African-American quarterback. That may scare a lot of people because they – they haven't seen nothing that they can compare me to.

  

  Cam Newton
  • People
  • Me
  • Scare

• To me, doing a gay pride show is one of the most fun things. My first show that paid more than $10,000 was in a gay club on New Year's Eve in San Francisco.

  

  Queen Latifah
  • Fun
  • Gay
  • Pride

• Nonviolent tactics can move into action on our behalf men not naturally inclined to act for us.

  

  Barbara Deming
  • Men
  • Action
  • Move

• The goal in life is to be solid, whereas the way that life works is totally fluid, so you can never actually achieve that goal.

  

  Damien Hirst
  • Life
  • Never
  • Goal

• I will always think of myself as that girl that is 22 starting and really excited about everything and wanting to be amazing at everything. I always wanted to be the best stylist. That was it.

  

  Rachel Zoe
  • Girl
  • Amazing
  • Myself

• I grew up playing basketball and baseball. I've always been active because my dad played professional football, so sports and working out have always been a part of my life.

  

  Zach LaVine
  • Life
  • Up
  • Dad

• My life has been a dream. If someone had to write a story about it, it would seem a little unreal. It's the kind of story I would read and say, 'Nah, that's not possible.'

  

  Ralph Lauren
  • Life
  • Dream
  • My Life

• I think there are a very few pro-lifers who would say that a zygote in a petri dish is the equivalent of you or me; it's just younger. If you can say that without laughing, maybe you are a true pro-lifer. But I think most people are able or willing to make distinctions that show they maybe don't quite believe that.

  

  Katha Pollitt
  • People
  • Believe
  • True

• I did every job under the sun from bartending to ushering to temping.

  

  Natalie Dormer
  • Job
  • Sun
  • Did

• As a teenager you are at the last stage in your life when you will be happy to hear that the phone is for you.

  

  Fran Lebowitz
  • Life
  • Happy
  • Teenager

• Mental health needs a great deal of attention. It's the final taboo and it needs to be faced and dealt with.

  

  Adam Ant Adam and the Ants
  • Great
  • Attention
  • Health

• If you learn one thing from having lived through decades of changing views, it is that all predictions are necessarily false.

  

  M. H. Abrams
  • You
  • Learn
  • Changing

• I was trying to manage school and training for the Olympics and ended up not doing well at either. That was a big lesson in my life. My mother expected both.

  

  Vera Wang
  • Life
  • Up
  • Trying

• There were so many pretty girls coming into the salon as clients, and others working in the salon. And I thought, 'Hmm. This is rather nice.'

  

  Vidal Sassoon
  • Pretty
  • Nice
  • Thought

• Since belief determines behavior, doesn't it make sense that we should be teaching ethical, moral values in every home and in every school in America?

  

  Zig Ziglar
  • School
  • Home
  • America

• I wouldn't say I'm vain - I'm just in a job where the way you look is important. Well, at least the facelift wasn't vanity, but the hair was.

  

  Gary Numan
  • Important
  • Job
  • Hair

• I like Madonna a lot. I think she's really good and I think she's a good singer. I think she looks good and she's got a nice kind of... I don't think she's got a sinister or cynical vibe around her, and I don't think she's got any sort of bullshit around her.

  

  Chrissie Hynde Pretenders
  • Good
  • She
  • Nice

• Central to living a life that is good is a life that's forgiving. We're creatures of contact, regardless of whether we kiss or we wound.

  

  David Rakoff
  • Life
  • Good
  • Kiss

• Obviously, if Congress wants to talk about anything, we're happy to provide information. We're committed to moving forward under the current act.

  

  Barack Obama
  • Happy
  • Want
  • Moving

• It's very important to take care of yourself. Everyone's lives are so busy. Take at least an hour a day to recharge and do whatever makes you better. For grown-ups, whether it's a spa, sitting in a park with a book, or coffee, take time for yourself.

  

  Ana Ivanovic
  • Time
  • Important
  • Book

• I have roles in plays that I hope that I'll be able to do one day. I might be doing them at, like, the East Wilton Playhouse in wherever. But I think that Edie Falco... to get something even resembling her type of roles, that would be amazing.

  

  Mamie Gummer
  • Hope
  • Day
  • Amazing

• The primary function of poetry, as of all the arts, is to make us more aware of ourselves and the world around us. I do not know if such increased awareness makes us more moral or more efficient. I hope not. I think it makes us more human, and I am quite certain it makes us more difficult to deceive.

  

  W. H. Auden
  • World
  • Hope
  • Poetry