Poetry is a street fighter. It has sharp elbows. It can look after itself. Poetry can't be used for manipulation; it's why you never see good poetry in advertising.
David WhyteRead
Things have a way of being richer in the end, a product better made, for the circuitous route we take to include all the elements that are necessary for a job well done.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Taking a longer, more complicated path can yield better results in the end.
This quote by David Whyte emphasizes the value of the journey taken to accomplish a task. It suggests that the more thoughtful and inclusive the process, even if it feels convoluted, the richer and more rewarding the final outcome will be, as it incorporates all necessary elements and perspectives.
Themes
JourneyProcessResultsSuccessEffort
In practice
Example use cases
In a motivational speech about personal growth and the importance of the learning process.
More from David Whyte
All quotes →Poetry is often the art of overhearing yourself say things you didn't know you knew. It is a learned skill to force yourself to articulate your life, your present world or your possibilities for the future.
David WhyteRead
By definition, poetry works with qualities and dynamics that mainstream society is reluctant to face head-on. It's an interesting phenomenon that by necessity, poetry is just below the radar.
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The price of our vitality is the sum of all our fears
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The severest test of work today, is not of our strategies, but of our imaginations and identities.
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We learn, grow and become compassionate and generous as much through exile as homecoming, as much through loss as gain, as much through giving things away as in receiving what we believe to be our due.
David WhyteRead
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