Poetry ought to be a by product of living, and you can't have a by product unless you've got a product first

Poetry ought to be a by product of living, and you can't have a by product unless you've got a product first

Wallace Stegner, a renowned American writer and environmentalist, believed that poetry should be a natural outgrowth of life experiences. In his view, poetry is not something that can be forced or manufactured; rather, it should emerge organically from the lived experiences of the poet. Stegner's perspective on poetry as a byproduct of living reflects his deep connection to the natural world and his belief in the power of personal experience to inspire creative expression.

Stegner's own life was marked by a deep appreciation for the natural world and a commitment to environmental conservation. He spent much of his life exploring and writing about the American West, drawing inspiration from the landscapes and people he encountered along the way. For Stegner, poetry was a way to capture the beauty and complexity of the world around him, to distill his experiences into language that could evoke a sense of wonder and awe in his readers.

Stegner's belief that poetry should be a byproduct of living speaks to the idea that creativity is not something that can be manufactured or forced. Instead, it arises naturally from the experiences, emotions, and observations that make up a person's life. In order to create meaningful poetry, one must first engage fully with the world, allowing oneself to be shaped and transformed by the people, places, and events that one encounters.

Stegner's own poetry reflects this philosophy, drawing on his personal experiences and observations to create vivid and evocative images of the natural world. His poems are filled with rich descriptions of landscapes, wildlife, and human interactions, capturing the beauty and complexity of the world in language that is both lyrical and precise.