Authors:
  1. Quotes
  2. Authors
  3. W
  4. W. H. Auden
  5. Lying

W. H. Auden Quotes about Lying

All W. H. Auden Quotes Acting Affection Age Art Character Children Choices Cooking Country Criticism Culture Dance Dancing Death Desire Drama Earth Ego Evil Fate Fear Feelings Food Funeral Funny Giving God Greek Grief Happiness Healing Heart Hell Helping Others History Homosexuality Honor Hope Hunger Imagination Inspirational Joy Judgment Language Life Listening Love Lying quotes Mankind Money Mountain Mourning Music Nature Passion Past Pleasure Poetry Politics Prayer Quality Reality Religion Running Science Silence Sin Sleep Sorrow Soul Study Success Suffering Time Today Torture Waiting Water Winning Work Writing
All I have is a voice to undo the folded lie, the romantic lie in the brain of the sensual man-in-the-street and the lie of Authority whose buildings grope the sky: There is no such thing as the State and no one exists

All I have is a voice to undo the folded lie, the romantic lie in the brain of the sensual man-in-the-street and the lie of Authority whose buildings grope the sky: There is no such thing as the State and no one exists alone; Hunger allows no choice to the citizen or the police; We must love one another or die.

W. H. Auden
Being Happy, Lying, Men
Another Time (1940) "September 1, 1939"

It has been said that a poem should not mean but be. This is not quite accurate. In a poem, as distinct from many other kinds of verbal societies, meaning and being are identical. A poem might be called a pseudo-person. Like a person, it is unique and addresses the reader personally. On the other hand, like a natural being and unlike a historical person, it cannot lie.

W. H. Auden
Lying, Mean, Unique
Source: www.guernicamag.com

Acts of injustice done Between the setting and the rising sun In history lie like bones, each one.

W. H. Auden
Lying, Rising, Done
"The Ascent of F6: A Tragedy in Two Acts". Play by W. H. Auden and Christopher Isherwood, 1936.

Intellectual disgrace Stares from every human face, And the seas of pity lie Locked and frozen in each eye.

W. H. Auden
Lying, Sadness, Eye
"In Memory of W. B. Yeats" l. 46 (1940)

Defenceless under the night Our world in stupor lies; Yet, dotted everywhere, Ironic points of light Flash out wherever the Just Exchange their messages: May I, composed like them Of Eros and of dust, Beleaguered by the same Negation and despair, Show an affirming flame.

W. H. Auden
Lying, Night, Dust
"September 1, 1939" l. 92 (1939) See George H.W. Bush 3

It takes little talent to see what lies under one's nose, a good deal to know in what direction to point that organ.

W. H. Auden
Lying, Noses, Littles

Out on the lawn I lie in bed, Vega conspicuous overhead.

W. H. Auden
Lying, Vegas, Bed
'Look, Stranger!' (1936) no. 2

Earth, receive an honored guest; William Yeats is laid to rest. Let the Irish vessel lie Emptied of its poetry.

W. H. Auden
Art, Lying, Poetry
"In Memory of W. B. Yeats" l. 42 (1940)

But he would have us most of all remember to be enthusiastic over the night. Not only for the sense of wonder it alone has to offer but also because it needs our love. For with sad eyes its delectable creatures look up and beg us dumbly to ask them to follow. They are exiles who long for a future that lies in our power.

W. H. Auden
Dream, Lying, Eye

You May Also Like: