Island of the World by Michael D. O'Brien
The poet who sees himself as a hero or a prophet, or a priest of the socio-political forces to which he is loyal, which he believes are the historical necessities of his times, too easily becomes a puppet. He has no external measure with which to assess reality. Whether he submits to the forces or rejects them, he becomes a parody of himself, and then without knowing it submits his gifts to the demons of his era. He loses his place in the continuity of time. He becomes dependent on social affirmation and the drug of exalted feelings common to all revolutionaries. He destroys, even as he thinks he creates.
Source Evidence
Community verification
Help verify accuracy, sources, and attribution. Pick one action below — you don't need to fill out everything.
0 ratings
Rate this quote (sign in required)
Sign in to rate this quote and affect community trust scores.
Contribute
Choose what you want to add. Each option opens its own short form.
Discussion
Share context, ask questions, or discuss this quote. Comments are separate from source proposals and verification ratings.
No comments yet.