The author's conviction on this day of the New Year is that music begins to atrophy when it departs too far from the dance; that poetry begins to atrophy when it gets too far from music.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Music loses vitality if it strays too far from dance, and poetry suffers if it moves too far from music.
- In plain terms
- Art forms thrive when they stay connected to their roots.
- What can you take from it?
- Keep art grounded in its fundamental rhythms and connections to avoid stagnation.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How close to tradition should art remain?
- When does change become decay?
Another view
Some innovations require moving away from traditional roots to succeed.
More from Ezra Pound
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