George Oppen's Quotes

Things explain each other, not themselves.

A pure mathematical series would be one in which each term is derived from the preceding term by a rule.

The first question at that time in poetry was simply the question of honesty, of sincerity.

There are situations which cannot honorably be met by art.

Truth, also is the pursuit of it.

A discrete series is a series of terms each of which is empirically derived, each one of which is empirically true. And this is the reason for the fragmentary character of those poems.

Clarity, clarity, surely clarity is the most beautiful thing in the world, A limited, limiting clarity I have not and never did have any motive of poetry But to achieve clarity.

The situation of the Old Left was the theory of Socialist Realism, etc. It seemed pointless to argue. We stayed carefully away from people who wrote for the New Masses.