Charles Olson Quotes

There is a grace of life which is still yours, my dear Europe.

– Charles Olson

We all want what’s been suddenly disallowed.

– Charles Olson

I’m sorry, but I was born with a towel on my head.

– Charles Olson

I was playing catch with the European audience.

– Charles Olson

Atlantis will rise again.

– Charles Olson

You can do anything, literally, right? That’s one of the exciting possibilities of the present.

– Charles Olson

The heroes of the present will retreat to the imitation they are anyhow.

– Charles Olson

I sound like Homer. I mean Winslow Homer.

– Charles Olson

Forgive me if I sleep until I wake up.

– Charles Olson

The poem, for me, is simply the first sound realized in the modality of being.

– Charles Olson

I hope you’re representing the devil’s advocate.

– Charles Olson

I don’t live for poetry. I live far more than anybody else does.

– Charles Olson

Fact is based upon vulgar matter.

– Charles Olson

I remember way back when I was young, 10 years ago.

– Charles Olson

You don’t help people in your poems. I’ve been trying to help people all my life – that’s my trouble.

– Charles Olson

We’re all moving, moving, moving. Isn’t it nice?

– Charles Olson

I defer to all these other American poets who, for some reason, I both envy and admire.

– Charles Olson

This morning of the small snow I count the blessings, the leak in the faucet which makes of the sink time, the drop of the water on water.

– Charles Olson

This country has been unconscious, and it’s got to awake. That’s my belief.

– Charles Olson

You can read everybody. It’s not even interesting to tell the truth because to some extent it’s false.

– Charles Olson

When will government cease being a nuisance to everybody?

– Charles Olson

I am happy to have some friends here in the kitchen.

– Charles Olson

I’m trying to climb up both walls at once.

– Charles Olson

I’m one of the cliches that has grown up.

– Charles Olson