Allen Tate

Allen Tate

John Orley Allen Tate (November 19, 1899 – February 9, 1979) was an American poet, essayist, social commentator, and Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress from 1943 to 1944.

Read more about Allen Tate:  Life, Literary Work, Political Writing

Famous quotes by allen tate:

    “John Brown of Ossawattamie
    Who died to set Abstraction free
    Stole Washington’s gold-handled sword
    Less for the gold than for the Lord....”
    —Allen Tate (1899–1979)

    “The secret ones around a stone
    Their lips withdrawn in meet surprise
    Lie still, being naught but bone
    With naught but space within their eyes....”
    —Allen Tate (1899–1979)

    “The flies swarmed on the putrid vulva, then
    A black tumbling rout would seethe
    Of maggots, thick like a torrent in a glen....”
    —Allen Tate (1899–1979)

    “The faceless head lay still. I could not run
    Or walk, but stood. Alone in the public clearing
    This private thing was owned by all the town,
    Though never claimed by us within my hearing.”
    —Allen Tate (1899–1979)

    “At twelve I was determined to shoot only
    For honor; at twenty not to shoot at all;
    I know at thirty-three that one must shoot
    As often as one gets the rare chance—
    In killing there is more than commentary.”
    —Allen Tate (1899–1979)