Quotes by W. H. Auden

“Among those whom I like or admire I can find no common denominator but among those whom I love I can: all of them make me laugh.”

“Any marriage happy or unhappy is infinitely more interesting and significant than any romance however passionate.”

“My poetry doesn't change from place to place - it changes with the years. It's very important to be one's age. You get ideas you have to turn down - 'I'm sorry no longer' 'I'm sorry not yet.'”

“The ear tends to be lazy craves the familiar and is shocked by the unexpected the eye on the other hand tends to be impatient craves the novel and is bored by repetition.”

“Nobody can honestly think of himself as a strong character because however successful he may be in overcoming them he is necessarily aware of the doubts and temptations that accompany every impor...”

“Choice of attention-to pay attention to this and ignore that-is to the inner life what choice of action is to the outer. In both cases a man is responsible for his choice and must accept the conse...”

“About suffering they were never wrong The Old Masters How well they understood Its human position how it takes place While someone else is eating or opening a window or just walking dully along.”

“When we do evil We and our victims Are equally bewildered.”

“Learn from your dreams what you lack.”

“Some books are undeservedly forgotten none are undeservedly remembered.”

“Cathedrals Luxury liners laden with souls Holding to the east their hulls of stone.”

“Choice of attention to pay attention to this and ignore that is to the inner life what choice of action is to the outer.”

“What the mass media offer is not popular art but entertainment which is intended to be consumed like food forgotten and replaced by a new dish.”

“If we really want to live we'd better start at once to try.”

“To be happy means to be free not from pain or fear but from care or anxiety.”

“Among those whom I like or admire I can find no common denominator but among those whom I love I can: all of them make me laugh.”

“Any marriage happy or unhappy is infinitely more interesting and significant than any romance however passionate.”

“The ear tends to be lazy craves the familiar and is shocked by the unexpected the eye on the other hand tends to be impatient craves the novel and is bored by repetition.”

“Nobody can honestly think of himself as a strong character because however successful he may be in overcoming them he is necessarily aware of the doubts and temptations that accompany every importa...”

“About suffering they were never wrong The Old Masters How well they understood Its human position how it takes place While someone else is eating or opening a window or just walking dully along.”