A good religious poem, today, is ambergris, and it is hard to enjoy it for thinking of all those suffering whales; but martyrs are born, not made.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Religious poetry is rare and hard to appreciate due to suffering, but true faith comes from within, not effort.
- In plain terms
- Religious art is hard to enjoy because of suffering, but belief is innate.
- What can you take from it?
- Faith is not manufactured by art or effort.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Is faith learned or given?
- Can art convey truth?
Another view
Art can sometimes inspire faith indirectly.
More from Randall Jarrell
The real war poets are always war poets, peace or any time.
Permalink to quote #37 We know from many experiences that this is what the work of art does: its life - in which we have shared the alien existences both of this world and of that di…
Permalink to quote #39 Consider some of the qualities of typical modernistic poetry: very interesting language, a great emphasis on connotation, 'texture'; extreme intensity, forced …
Permalink to quote #36
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