Ian Hamilton Finlay

As a friendly one. I would still like to write concrete poems, but I can only do it sometimes. ↗

— Ian Hamilton Finlay

#friendly #i #i can #like #only

People have always found me challenging - I don't know why, when I am only being myself. I don't understand why they find me so annoying but they do. It is pity, but that is how it is. ↗

— Ian Hamilton Finlay

#am #annoying #being #being myself #challenging

But at the beginning it was clear to me that concrete poetry was peculiarly suited for using in public settings. This was my idea, but of course I never really much got the chance to do it. ↗

— Ian Hamilton Finlay

#chance #clear #concrete #course #got

But I can only write what the muse allows me to write. I cannot choose, I can only do what I am given, and I feel pleased when I feel close to concrete poetry - still. ↗

— Ian Hamilton Finlay

#am #cannot #choose #close #concrete

For me concrete poetry was a particular way of using language which came out of a particular feeling, and I don't have control over whether this feeling is in me or not. ↗

— Ian Hamilton Finlay

#concrete #control #feeling #i #language

I am always a beginner. I only try to include different parts of life; the pastoral, the tragic, et cetera. ↗

— Ian Hamilton Finlay

#am #beginner #cetera #different #different parts

I am not a modern man, I am just a wee old fashioned one. ↗

— Ian Hamilton Finlay

#fashioned #i #i am #just #man

I came to these mediums through having the garden, and of course, people who have designed gardens have always worked in collaboration, and never made their own inscriptions. ↗

— Ian Hamilton Finlay

#came #collaboration #course #designed #garden

Little Sparta is a garden in the traditional sense. It is perhaps not like other modern gardens, but I think that other times would have had no difficulty with it. ↗

— Ian Hamilton Finlay

#garden #gardens #had #i #i think

My position is that since the non-secular status of my garden is not recognised by the law; by the world of the public, then the garden can only be private. So, I closed the garden to the public. ↗

— Ian Hamilton Finlay

#garden #i #law #only #position