Stephen Spender (Sir Stephen Harold Spender) Quotes
An English poet writes, I think, just for people who are interested in poetry. An American poet writes, and feels that everyone ought to appreciate this. Then he has a deep sense of grievance . . .

Quotes to Explore
-
I think it is a mistake to judge science by Nobel Prizes.
-
The victory of the working people over the exploiters and slave holders is at the same time the victorious struggle for liberation by the German people.
-
The most successful Subway customers, of course, are the ones who can't keep their hands off their sandwich. Join your artist in the sandwich assembling process. That sneeze guard is a suggestion. That sneeze guard is trying to intimidate you into staying on the customer's side of the partition.
-
Life has been kind to me. I am happy with the love and appreciation that I have been getting throughout my career. I feel blessed.
-
I have my own people that make my clothes because it's hard for me to find stuff that fits.
-
A lot of people I make music with are really talented and it doesn't stop at one instrument.
-
You can never fully put your finger on the reason why you're suddenly, inexplicably compelled to explore one life as opposed to another.
-
From 16 years old, I wanted to have a baby, that's all I wanted.
-
When you're in prison, the progress of the outside world doesn't necessarily translate inside prison walls. You don't have any rights; it just doesn't progress along the same timeline.
-
I just want to do good material. If I'm right for it, and it connects with me, and the material is good, I'm not going to say 'I'm just going to do this' or 'I have to do one of everything.' I'm not thinking like that.
-
For me, being a writer was never a choice. I was born one. All through my childhood I wrote short stories and stuffed them in drawers. I wrote on everything. I didn't do my homework so I could write.
-
Hmmm... I never get the answer I think I'm going to get.
-
I haven't worn one for a long time, but I look pretty good in a suit.
-
Merriment is always the effect of a sudden impression. The jest which is expected is already destroyed.
-
I still say to myself when I am depressed and find myself forced to listen to pompous and tiresome people 'Well, I have done one thing you could never have done, and that is to have collaborated with Littlewood and Ramanujan on something like equal terms.'
-
I called this press conference today to talk about a new challenge that i will face, a personal one – one that requires me, once again, to be an underdog and a fighter. A few days ago, I was diagnosed with cancer, aggressive B-cell non-Hodgkins lymphoma, to be specific – which is a cancer of the lymph nodes.
-
Another turn in my life happened when I took on the Canada Council.
-
History has shown that Big Government expands quickest in the immediate aftermath of a crisis - real or manufactured.
-
What I believe about the young age of the earth comes out of taking the Bible as written. And I've said numerous times over the years that the age of the earth, for example, is not a salvation issue but an authority issue.
-
I've really been writing a lot of country songs. I used to get criticized for doing a 'Bump & Grind,' then turning around and doing a gospel song. But the truth is I'm glad I have a gift that allows me to switch lanes.
-
I think when you work alone - the way I do it, anyway - you could sort of liken it to painting, where there's sort of a one-on-one with the canvas.
-
James Joyce actually is rewarding you in all of these incredible ways.
-
An English poet writes, I think, just for people who are interested in poetry. An American poet writes, and feels that everyone ought to appreciate this. Then he has a deep sense of grievance . . .