Vachel Lindsay Quotes & Sayings

The only thing that a man may do that is new, is to write himself on human hearts. — Vachel Lindsay

Mumbo-Jumbo will hoo-doo you, Mumbo-Jumbo will hoo-doo you. Mumbo ... Jumbo ... will ... hoo-doo ... you. — Vachel Lindsay

Except the Christ be born again tonight
In dreams of all men, saints and sons of shame,
The world will never see his kingdom bright.
— Vachel Lindsay

To live in mankind is far more than to live in a name. — Vachel Lindsay

How can we help students to understand that the tragedy of life is not death; the tragedy is to die with commitments undefined and convictions undeclared and service unfulfilled? — Vachel Lindsay

We left you there, lonely,
Beauty your power,
Wisdom your watchman,
To hold the clay tower.
from 'The Tale of the Tiger Tree — Vachel Lindsay

This is the sin against the Holy Ghost: - To speak of bloody power as right divine, And call on God to guard each vile chief's house, And for such chiefs, turn men to wolves and swine. — Vachel Lindsay

Old Euclid drew a circle
On a sand-beach long ago.
He bounded and enclosed it
With angles thus and so.
His set of solemn greybeards
Nodded and argued much
Of arc and circumference,
Diameter and such.
A silent child stood by them
From morning until noon
Because they drew such charming
Round pictures of the moon. — Vachel Lindsay

The crooning turns to a sunrise singing. — Vachel Lindsay

Never be a cynic, even a gentle one. Never help out a sneer, even at the devil. — Vachel Lindsay

Not that they starve; but starve so dreamlessly,
Not that they sow, but that they seldom reap,
Not that they serve, but have no gods to serve,
Not that they die, but that they die like sheep. — Vachel Lindsay

Life is a loom, weaving illusion. — Vachel Lindsay

I think on death as the apparent end of the illusions that encompass us. They all have a sudden and unexpected end, that challenges any faith we have pinned to their worth. — Vachel Lindsay

Authors and uncaptured criminals are the only people free from routine. — Vachel Lindsay

My life is unjust, but I can strive for justice. My life is unkind, but I can vote for kindness. — Vachel Lindsay

Let not young souls be smothered out
Before they do quaint deeds
And fully flaunt their pride. — Vachel Lindsay

I am unjust, but I can strive for justice. My life's unkind, but I can vote for kindness. I, the unloving, say life should be lovely. I, that am blind, cry out against my blindness. — Vachel Lindsay

You can't crush ideas by suppressing them. You can only crush them by ignoring them. — Vachel Lindsay

They tried to get me-I got them first! (suicide note) — Vachel Lindsay

They tried to get me - I got them first! — Vachel Lindsay

God lead us past the setting of the sun
To wizard islands, of august surprise;
God make our blunders wise. — Vachel Lindsay

Oh, I have walked in Kansas Through many a harvest field, And piled the sheaves of glory there And down the wild rows reeled: Each sheaf a little yellow sun, A heap of hot-rayed gold; Each binder like Creation's hand To mold suns, as of old. — Vachel Lindsay

Change the fabric of your own soul and your own visions, and you change all. — Vachel Lindsay

Factory windows are always broken
Other windows are let alone.
No one throws through the chapel-window
The bitter, snarling, derisive stone. — Vachel Lindsay