poetry is passion

涂于德

A famous American poet said, \"poetry is a deal of joy and pain and wonder, with a dash of the dictionary!\"

It means emotions expressed are more important than the language used? What's the Chinese equivalent?

白马西北驰

This quotation from Kahlil Gibran is but another version of that of William Wordsworth, that is, “Poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings: it takes its origin from emotion recollected in tranquility.”


Your understanding is correct. Gibran is a poet who follows the romantic tradition, who places the emotion above the words. But the relation of form and content is a highly controversial issue throughout the history of poetry, or of literature. Another famous quotation from Samuel Taylor Coleridge takes an opposite stance, saying “Poetry: the best words in the best order.” And modern poets seem to be apt to pay more attention to words.


As for the Chinese counterpart of the quotation, in my view, it is the traditional poetic point of view: “诗言志” or “在心为志，发言为诗.”

resonance

good to know, thank u all....

benchren

一重技巧(形式),一重内容.二者不可偏废.______老生常谈了.