Sri Aurobindo

Letters on Poetry and Art

SABCL - Volume 27

Part 2. On His Own and Others’ Poetry
Section 2. On Poets and Poetry
Indian Poetry in English

Writing in a Learned Language [1]

I was surprised last night how les mots justes sprang ready to the pen’s call. Alas I can’t say the same thing for my English poetry, where I always fumble so.

One cannot expect to seize in poetry the finer and more elusive tones, which are so important, in a learned language, however well-learnt, as in one’s native or natural tongue. Unless of course one succeeds in making it natural, if not native.

5 December 1935