Imagination and Poetry

All imagination is not poetry, but all poetry is imagination.

This may not strike you as startling news, but then again we are struck by things which are in our own path, and that includes the same path of thinking.

Here is a definition of “imagination” that would not likely occur to you, as it did not to me, as it reflects an intellectual approach to things which is not on my wavelength:

“imagination, n. A warehouse of facts, with poet and liar in joint ownership.”

Which sardonic, acidic and angry person penned such an attack on the gentle art of poetry? Was it Mencken? Was it Mr. Dooley (do you know your history of cynics?)? Demetrius? George Carlin? Eeyore? (Well, the last one doesn’t count, I guess….)

Stumped? I recommend a book by Ambrose Bierce entitled The Devil’s Dictionary; such is the source of the above quote. The book drips acid, intersperses doggerel, and is erudite and unsparing. I have wasted half of today (Sunday the 23rd) reading it. Among those not spared are lawyers although, as a corporate lawyer, I am particularly fond of the one other quote from the book which I have included in this post, for which see below:

“corporation, n: An ingenious device for obtaining individual profit without individual responsibility.”

“‘Nuf said,” said McGreavy; and kudos to the person who responds by identifying this iconic Boston historical figure….