Richard Aldington citations

“I dream of silent verses where the rhyme
Glides noiseless as an oar.”

Help us translate this quote

Richard Aldington

From At the British Museum Collected Poems, 1929

“Patriotism is a lively sense of collective responsibility. Nationalism is a silly cock crowing on its own dunghill.”

Help us translate this quote

Richard Aldington

The Colonel’s Daughter (1931) pt. 1, ch. 6

“I began to write what I called 'rhythms' ie unrhymed pieces with no formal metrical scheme where the rhythm was created by a kind if inner chant.. Later I was told I was writing 'free verse' or Vers libre.”

Help us translate this quote

Richard Aldington

Introduction to Collected Poems, 1929

“By the sense of mystery I understand the experience of certain places and times when one's whole nature seems to be in touch with a prescence, a genius loci, a potency.”

Help us translate this quote

Richard Aldington

Introduction to Complete Poems, 1948

“Why do we call ourselves 'Imagists'. Well why not? Well I think it is a very good and descriptive title and it serves to enunciate some of the principles we mos firmly believe in… Direct treatment of the subject… as few adjectives as possible… a hardness, as of cut stone… individuality of rhythm…”

Help us translate this quote

Richard Aldington

Modern Poetry and the Imagists in the Egoist, London 1914