The learner always begins by finding fault but the scholar sees the positive merit in everything.

We read too much Shakespeare at school and view our parliamentary politics as dynastic drama in which an impatient crown prince frets at his long subordination and begins to scheme for the throne he knows he merits was promised and has earned.

Whenever a man has cast a longing eye on offices a rottenness begins in his conduct.

So much of my poetry begins with something that I can describe in visual terms so thinking about distance thinking about how life begins and what might be watching us.

Poetry is fascinating. As soon as it begins the poetry has changed the thing into something extra and somehow prose can go over into poetry.

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.

A poem begins as a lump in the throat a sense of wrong a homesickness a lovesickness.

The journey of a thousand leagues begins with a single step. So we must never neglect any work of peace within our reach however small.

Peace begins with a smile.

Music begins to atrophy when it departs too far from the dance... poetry begins to atrophy when it gets too far from music.