Anyone with gumption and a sharp mind will take the measure of two things: what's said and what's done.
Seamus HeaneyRead
I think the first little jolt I got was reading Gerard Manley Hopkins - I liked other poems... but Hopkins was kind of electric for me - he changed the rules with speech, and the whole intensity of the language was there and so on.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Seamus Heaney expresses how the poetry of Gerard Manley Hopkins had a profound impact on him, transforming his perception of language and poetry.
In this quote, Seamus Heaney reflects on the transformative power of Hopkins' poetry, describing it as 'electric' and noting how it altered the conventions of language. Heaney emphasizes the intensity and innovative use of speech in Hopkins' work, which inspired him and deepened his appreciation for poetry.
Themes
PoetryInspirationLanguageCreativityTransformation
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could be used in a lecture on the influence of poets on each other.
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