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Poems List

May memory restore again and again

The New Yale Book of Quotations

5
What does long life avail? The best seats at the funerals of friends.
3
Love is the most difficult and dangerous form of courage. Courage is the most desperate, admirable and noble kind of love.
5

Sometimes you cannot believe what you see, you have to believe what you feel. And if you are ever going to have other people trust you, you must feel that you can trust them, too--even when you’re in the dark. Even when you’re falling.

Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom

4
Major writing is to say what has been seen, so that it need never be said again.
4

When you learn how to die, you learn how to live.

"Tuesdays with Morrie

4
The most important thing in life is to learn how to give out love, and to let it come in.
5

The heavy bear who goes with me,

A manifold honey to smear his face.

4

The mind is a city like London, Smoky and populous: it is a capital Like Rome, ruined and eternal, Marked by the monument which no one Now remembers.

The Mind Is an Ancient and Famous Capital [1959]

5

Time is the school in which we learn, Time is the fire in which we burn.

For Rhoda [1938]

5

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Career and Work

Delmore Schwartz (1913-1966) was an influential American poet, short story writer, and literary critic in the 20th-century literary scene. His work is marked by a profound exploration of the human condition, alienation, and the search for meaning in an increasingly complex modern world.

Schwartz gained early recognition with his poetry collection In Dreams Begin Responsibilities (1939), which gave its title to one of his most famous works. The eponymous poem, which blends fiction and personal reflection, is considered a landmark in American poetry, using modernist techniques to examine the relationship between art, life, and memory. The collection explored themes of identity, self-awareness, and the nature of reality in an innovative way.

As a short story writer, Schwartz also left his mark with stories such as "The World Is a Wedding" and "In the Naked City, Where the Sky Is a Handkerchief". His short stories often portray urban characters struggling with loneliness, disillusionment, and the complexities of their inner lives. He possessed a remarkable ability to penetrate the psyche of his characters, revealing their hidden anxieties and desires.

In addition to his creative work, Schwartz was an influential literary critic, known for his intelligence and sharp opinions. He was a mentor to many young writers and played a significant role in promoting modern literature.

Style and Themes

Delmore Schwartz's style is characterized by a fusion of intellectual rigor and emotional intensity. He employed modernist techniques, including stream of consciousness, juxtaposition of images, and the exploration of different narrative voices.

The central themes in his work include:

  • Existentialism and Alienation: A deep concern with the meaning of life, the loneliness of the individual, and the sense of displacement in modern society.
  • The Human Condition: The exploration of passions, fears, desires, and the psychological complexities that define the human experience.
  • Art and Reality: Reflection on the role of art in understanding life and the fine line separating imagination from reality.
  • Memory and the Past: The influence of the past in shaping the present and the struggle to reconcile lived experiences with expectations.

Delmore Schwartz's work, though sometimes dark, is a testament to the human search for meaning and authenticity, and his influence endures in contemporary literature.