Quotes from Stevie Smith

You must have some money if you are going to live simply. It need not be much, but you must have some.

It is an amiable part of human nature, that we should love our animals; it is even better to love them to the point of folly, than not to love them at all.

As Nature is always careless and indifferent Who sees, who steps, means nothing and this is pretty.

All poetry has to do is to make a strong communication. All the poet has to do is listen. The poet is not an important fellow. There will also be another poet.

Coleridge received the Person from Porlock And ever after called him a curse, Then why did he hurry to let him in? He could have hid in the house.

I only asked my friends to be friendly and polite, I found them indifferent and censorious; The one I left to silence, the other to reproach: God send me over all such friends victorious.

This is the simplest of all thoughts, that Death must come when we call, although he is a god.

There can be no good art that is international. Art to be vigorous and gesund must use the material at hand.

Nobody heard him, the dead man, But still he lay moaning. I was much further out than you thought, and not waving but drowning. I was much too far out all my life, And not waving but drowning.

I may be smelly and I may be old, Rough in my pebbles, reedy in my pools, But where my fish float by I bless their swimming, And I like the people to bathe in me especially women.

The religion of Christianity Is mixed of sweetness and cruelty Reject this Sweetness, for she wears A smoky dress out of hell fires.

Life may be treacherous, but you can always depend on death.

Oh, no no no, it was too cold always (Still the dead one lay moaning) I was much too far out all my life And not waving but drowning.

I'm alive today, therefore I'm just as much a part of our time as everybody else. The times will just have to enlarge themselves to make room for me, won't they, and for everybody else.

People who are always praising the past And especially the time of faith as best Ought to go and live in the Middle Ages And be burnt at the stake as witches and sages.

This Englishwoman is so refined, She has no bosom and no behind.

Nothing is more wistful than the scent of lilac, nor more robust than its woody stalk, for we must remember that it is a tree as well as a flower, we must try not to forget this.

I love people, but I love the thought and memory of them just as much.

The flower and fruit of love are mine The ant, the fieldmouse and the mole

I made Man with too many faults. Yet I love him. And if he wishes, I have a home above for him.

All poetry has to do is to make a strong communication. All the poet has to do is listen. The poet is not an important fellow. There will also be another poet.

I don't think Auden liked my poetry very much, he's very Anglican.

Why does my Muse only speak when she is unhappy?She does not, I only listen when I am unhappy.

I was much too far out all my lifeAnd not waving but drowning.