WIST Quotations

Ciardi, John -- In Vince Clemente, “‘A Man Is What He Does With His Attention’: A Conversation with John Ciardi,” Poesis, Vol. 7 #2 (1986)

Dave — Wed, 09 Sep 2020 19:09:40 +0000

It says in the Constitution that we all have a guaranteed right to make fools of ourselves. I have taken every chance to reap the rewards of that guarantee. If forced to action, I mean to fight to defend that right, which includes the right to be wrong, queer, or just kooky. And how can I defend that unless I defend those kooks and queers who think (wrongly, of course) that I am kooky and queer?

John Ciardi (1916–1986) American poet, writer, critic
In Vince Clemente, “‘A Man Is What He Does With His Attention’: A Conversation with John Ciardi,” Poesis, Vol. 7 #2 (1986)
(Source)

Aaronovitch, Ben -- Foxglove Summer (2014)

Dave — Wed, 03 Feb 2016 14:48:06 +0000

“There’s weird shit,” I said. “And we deal with the weird shit, but normally it turns out that there’s a perfectly rational explanation.” Which is often that a wizard did it.

Ben Aaronovitch (b. 1964) British author
Foxglove Summer (2014)

O'Rourke, P. J. -- Give War a Chance (1992)

Dave — Fri, 11 Jul 2014 12:29:24 +0000

The weirder you are going to behave, the more normal you should look. It works in reverse, too. When I see a kid with three or four rings in his nose, I know there is absolutely nothing extraordinary about that person.

P. J. O'Rourke (b. 1947) American humorist, editor
Give War a Chance (1992)

Ciardi, John -- In Nation (27 Mar 1954)

Dave — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 16:00:00 +0000

But it’s no show just to protect the serious, the solemn, and the high-minded. We must protect the flippant, the zany, the heretical, and the downright queer. The Constitution gives every American the inalienable right to make a damn fool of himself.

John Ciardi (1916–1986) American poet, writer, critic
In Nation (27 Mar 1954)
(Source)