There is a kind of expressed love which is easy to subvert. When a figure is loved for their deeds, their conquests, their heroism, their goodness, their love of the people, these are easy enough to destroy… But there is a kind of love which is felt for apparently no reason…
BEN OKRI
BEN OKRI
Ben Okri on fighting
Ben Okri79 quotes“There is a kind of expressed love which is easy to subvert. When a figure is loved for their deeds, their conquests, their heroism, their goodness, their love of the people, these are easy enough to destroy… But there is a kind of love which is felt for apparently no reason…”
More from Ben Okri
a dream can be the highest point of a life
Ben OkriBen Okri I lived rough, by my wits, was homeless, lived on the streets, lived on friends’ floors, was happy, was miserable.
Ben OkriBen Okri Success will never confuse you of scatter your spirit, but will make you fly higher into the good sunlight. Your life will always surprise you.
Ben OkriBen Okri The worst realities of our age are manufactured realities. It is therefore our task, as creative participants in the universe, to re dream our world. The fact of possessing imagination means that everything can be re dreamed. Each reality can have it
Ben OkriBen Okri Magic becomes art when it has nothing to hide.
Ben OkriBen Okri Don’t neglect the gold in your own back yard.
Ben OkriBen Okri What hope is there for individual reality or authenticity when the forces of violence and orthodoxy, the earthly powers of guns and bombs and manipulated public opinion make it impossible for us to be authentic and fulfilled human beings?
Ben OkriBen Okri I know that human beings are capable of anything.
Ben OkriBen Okri You are a mischievous one. You will cause no end of trouble. You have to travel many roads before you find the river of your destiny. This life of yours will be full of riddles. You will be protected and you will never be alone.
Ben OkriBen Okri I’m conscious of a series of circles working its way through my life. And at this particular moment I have come round to the beginning of my writing cycle. It begins with poetry. There’s hardly a day that goes past on which I don’t write poetry.
Ben OkriBen Okri I learned that life will go through changes – up and down and up again. It’s what life does.
Ben OkriBen Okri This earth that we live on is full of stories in the same way that, for a fish, the ocean is full of ocean. Some people say when we are born we’re born into stories. I say we’re also born from stories.
Ben OkriBen Okri Destiny plans a different route and fulfills the dream in ways we couldn’t have expected.
Ben OkriBen Okri People are as healthy and confident as the stories they tell themselves.
Ben OkriBen Okri Don’t despair too much if you see beautiful things destroyed, if you see them perish. Because the best things are always growing in secret.
Ben OkriBen Okri Wholeness is the enemy of the artist. We ought to be broken, ruined in some way.
Ben OkriBen Okri
Original quotes
From our community writers
And in the end when the money is gone – will you still stay it was worth it.
M.K. StandbyM.K. Standby My soul speaks a language, only you can understand.
Ginnie BaleGinnie Bale In another life, you kept your word, and forever’s still ours for the taking.
Harriet SelinaHarriet Selina Journey with struggle becomes a great tale in the future.
Carla StokesCarla Stokes I’m not asking that you take the bullet for me. I wish you’d shoot first.
Danielle MontgomeryDanielle Montgomery A rainy day is the perfect excuse to explore deeper feelings.
Emily BockEmily Bock Stop taking care of everyone else before you take care of yourself.
Claire VinsonClaire Vinson Music is a weed, we all fallen souls are high on.
Ananya BhaskarAnanya Bhaskar
Meet the writers
More on fighting
Ceremony leads her bigots forth, prepared to fight for shadows of no worth.
William CowperWilliam Cowper Those neon light nights, couldn’t stay out of fights, keeps a-haunting me in memories.
Waylon JenningsWaylon Jennings We are led by the least among us – the least intelligent, the least noble, the least visionary. We are led by the least among us and we do not fight back against the dehumanizing values that are handed down as control icons.
Terence McKennaTerence McKenna Love is everything it’s cracked up to be. It really is worth fighting for, being brave for, risking everything for.
Erica JongErica Jong Fighting football, not serenity football – that is what I like.
Jurgen KloppJurgen Klopp The promise of America is one immigration policy for all who seek to enter our shores, whether they come from Mexico,
Al SharptonAl Sharpton You need fighters like me to battle, because frankly
Al GoldsteinAl Goldstein I have always been a softie, and I fight it with every fiber of my being. Sadly, my being’s fibers need to hit the gym.
Aisha TylerAisha Tyler