"The heart wants what it wants. Only prayer can teach the heart its own history."
This quote by Brenda Hillman suggests that our desires, often rooted in our emotional core (the heart), are innate and sometimes beyond our conscious control ("The heart wants what it wants"). However, understanding the origin or context of those desires requires introspection, which can be facilitated through prayer. Prayer, here, symbolizes reflection, contemplation, or seeking wisdom about oneself and one's life experiences (the heart's own history). In essence, Hillman is emphasizing that our deepest desires stem from personal history and self-discovery, which can be aided by introspection and spiritual connection.
"Poetry is a kind of remembering."
This quote suggests that poetry serves as a tool for recollection, allowing us to remember experiences, emotions, ideas, and aspects of the world that may be otherwise difficult to articulate or retain in our minds. Through the act of creating poetry, we are preserving moments, thoughts, and feelings, effectively giving them a lasting place within ourselves and potentially sharing them with others. In essence, poetry acts as a mnemonic device for humanity's collective memories and experiences.
"Love is not in the places we go but the way we travel there."
This quote by Brenda Hillman suggests that love isn't about destinations or reaching certain places, but rather it lies in the journey itself - the manner in which we navigate through life. It implies that the true essence of love can be found in the experiences, moments, emotions, and connections made along the way, not just at a specific end point. This perspective encourages us to appreciate the journey as much as the destination and fosters an attitude of mindfulness, gratitude, and openness towards the people and situations we encounter on our life's path.
"Art is a form of survival for those who are having trouble with survival."
This quote suggests that artistic expression can serve as a vital means of coping and persevering for individuals grappling with life's challenges. In times of hardship, creativity can provide an outlet for emotions, thoughts, and experiences, helping people to process their circumstances and find solace in self-expression. By embracing art, these individuals can not only survive but also thrive, as the creative process allows them to transcend their difficulties and connect with others on a deeper level.
"The world was built to be burned, and I have come to burn it."
This quote by Brenda Hillman suggests a strong sense of purpose, passion, and rebellion against the status quo or the way things are. It implies that the speaker recognizes the impermanence of life (symbolized by "the world") and intends to live their own truth, to make an impact, to challenge norms, or to leave a lasting impression - in other words, to "burn" it with their presence, actions, or ideas. It's a declaration of living with intention and embracing change.
The techniques of contemporary poetry are probably the techniques of your daily life. I don't know a single person who goes into the grocery store and thinks in complete sentences. We often think in fragments, we think in little lists, we think in non-sequiturs, we think in feelings that may not match up with each other.
- Brenda Hillman
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