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A poem is true if it hangs together. Information points to something else. A poem points to nothing but itself.

E. M. Forster

We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us.
E. M. FORSTER

Go Must Plan Wait Will
She stopped and leant her elbows against the parapet of the embankment. He did likewise. There is at times a magic in identity of position; it is one of the things that have suggested to us eternal comradeship.
E. M. FORSTER

Against Elbow Embankment Identity Learn Likewise Magic Parapet Position Stop Times
At night, when the curtains are drawn and the fire flickers, my books attain a collective dignity.
E. M. FORSTER

Attain Book Collective Curtain Dignity Drawn Ficker Fire Night
Most of life is so dull that there is nothing to be said about it, and the books and talks that would describe it as interesting are obliged to exaggerate, in the hope of justifying their own existence.
E. M. FORSTER

Book Describe Dull Exaggerate Interesting Life Most Nothing Obliged Talk
One grows accustomed to being praised, or being blamed, or being advised, but it is unusual to be understood.
E. M. FORSTER

Accustomed Advice Being Blame Grow One Praise Understand Unusual
I can only do what’s easy. I can only entice and be enticed. I can’t, and won’t, attempt difficult relations. If I marry it will either be a man who’s strong enough to boss me or whom I’m strong enough to boss.
E. M. FORSTER

Attempt Can Difficult Easy Entice Only Relation
Death destroys a man, but the idea of death saves him.
E. M. FORSTER

Death Destroy Idea Man Save
Do not be proud of your inconsistency. It is a pity, it is a pity that we should be equipped like this. It is a pity that Man cannot be at the same time impressive and truthful.
E. M. FORSTER

Equipped Impressive Inconsistency Pity Proud Same
But Humanity, in its desire for comfort, had over-reached itself. It had exploited the riches of nature too far. Quietly and complacently, it was sinking into decadence, and progress had come to mean the progress of the Machine.
E. M. FORSTER

Comfort Desire Humanity Itself Over Reach
You confuse what’s important with what’s impressive.
E. M. FORSTER

Confuse Important Impressive
School was the unhappiest time of my life and the worst trick it ever played on me was to pretend that it was the world in miniature. For it hindered me from discovering how lovely and delightful and kind the world can be, and how much of it is intelligible.
E. M. FORSTER

Life Miniature Play Pretend School Time Trick Unhappiest World Worst
It was pleasant, too, to fling wide the windows, pinching the fingers in unfamiliar fastenings, to lean out into sunshine with beautiful hills and trees and marble churches opposite, and, close below, Arno, gurgling against the embankment of the road.
E. M. FORSTER

Beautiful Embankment Fastening Hill Opposite Pinch Pleasant Road Tree Unfamiliar Wide
I won’t be protected. I will choose for myself what is ladylike and right. To shield me is an insult.
E. M. FORSTER

Choose Insult Lady Myself Protect Right Shield
What is the good of your stars and trees, your sunrise and the wind, if they do not enter into our daily lives?
E. M. FORSTER

Daily Enter Good Live Star Sunrise Tree Wind
The historian records, but the novelist creates.
E. M. FORSTER

Crate Historian Novelist Record
One must be fond of people and trust them if one is not to make a mess of life.
E. M. FORSTER

Fond Life Make Mess Must One People Trust

A poem is true if it hangs together. Information points to something else. A poem points to nothing but itself.

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A poem is true if it hangs together. Information points to something else. A poem points to nothing but itself.

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Popular Authors

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