17 Tony Harrison Quotes for You to Enjoy

Tony Harrison

English Poet

Born: Apr 30, 1937

First Like Me Poet Think You

Related authors: Alexander Pope Alfred Lord Tennyson John Keats John Milton Percy Bysshe Shelley Robert Browning William Blake William Wordsworth

I love being on the road with others, with a camera, but also being alone writing poetry. Tony Harrison

Love Alone Writing Others Poetry Road Also Camera Being Being Alone

A lot of my activity in the theatre, and even in writing poems, was a kind of retrospective aggro on the English teacher who wouldn't allow me to read poetry aloud. Tony Harrison

Teacher Me Theatre Writing Kind Poems Poetry Allow Aloud Retrospective Read Lot English Who English Teacher Even Activity

Coming from a very inarticulate family made me try to speak for those who can't express themselves and created a need for articulation at its most ceremonial - poetry. Tony Harrison

Family Me Speak Try Made Those Poetry Most Coming Very Articulation Inarticulate Themselves Ceremonial Created Who Express Need

You get early inoculation against the idea of success if you're a poet. When I published my first collection of sonnets, I sold about five copies; now kids study them for A level. Wanting to be successful in that other world of money or fame is not interesting. Poetry isn't like that, and it never has been. Tony Harrison

Success You World Money Poet First Other Sold Kids Has-Been Collection About Poetry Never Study Idea Like Been Fame Five Get Wanting Against Interesting Them Successful Now Published Level Copies Early

I wanted to learn Latin and Greek and become a poet and acquire power over language. I only understand this clearly in retrospect, that my ability to study came from a hunger to learn all the resources of articulation. Tony Harrison

Poetry is all I write, whether for books or readings or for the National Theatre or for the opera house and concert hall or even for TV. Tony Harrison

Theatre National Books TV Poetry Write House Opera Opera House Concert Concert Hall Hall Readings National Theatre Whether Even

It's been an obsession with me from childhood, the horrors of the twentieth century. Tony Harrison

Me Horrors Obsession Been Childhood Century Twentieth Twentieth Century

I like a direct relationship between actor and audience. Tony Harrison

Relationship Direct Between Like Audience Actor

You litter poems with too much learning when you're younger. Tony Harrison

You Learning Too Much Too Poems Litter Younger Much

I hate being called poet/dramatist/translator/director. 'Poet' covers it all for me. Tony Harrison

Me Hate Poet Covers Being

'Night Mail' belongs quintessentially to the age of steam. It is impossible to simply go with the idea of remaking it. Tony Harrison

Age Impossible Steam Mail Simply Idea Go Belongs Night

Theatre has to be theatrical. It has to draw attention to itself, like poetry. Tony Harrison

Theatre Draw Poetry Attention Like Itself Theatrical

I have always loved radio as a medium. Tony Harrison

Medium Always Loved Radio

I'm not the sort of person who reads much about himself. Tony Harrison

About Himself Sort Reads Person Much Who

The first thing you see in my hallway is a large 18th-century bust of Milton, who stares at me as I watch TV and reminds me of the grave and committed role of the poet. Although he was blind, Milton had one of the most unswerving gazes of all English poets. Tony Harrison

Me You Poet First TV See Poets Had He Reminds Most Blind Although First Thing Hallway Role Committed The First Thing English Who Large Bust Grave Thing Watch Milton

I often find myself quoting from Victor Hugo after one of my theatrical ventures. 'Now that my play is a failure,' he once said, 'I find I love it all the more.' I first quoted that after 'Square Rounds' at the Olivier in 1992. Tony Harrison

Tony Harrison Quotes

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