Charles Olson
1910 - 1970
5
Quotes
Biography
Charles Olson was an American poet and essayist known for his association with the Black Mountain poets and his theory of 'projective verse'. Born in 1910 in Worcester, Massachusetts, he studied at Wesleyan University and Harvard before becoming a key figure in the American literary scene. Olson's work is characterized by its exploration of history, mythology, and geography, often drawing on his maritime background due to his time in the Merchant Marine during World War II. His influential essays on poetry, such as 'Projective Verse' published in 1950, have had a lasting impact on modern poetry.
Famous Quotes (5)
1
The only thing one can give an artist is leisure in which to work.
2
Limits are what any of us are inside of.
3
Form is never more than an extension of content.
4
The poem itself must, at all points, be a high energy-construct and, at all points, an energy-discharge.
5
Whatever you have to say, leave the roots on, let them dangle.