The Proverbial Aphorism
@blue-sky-aphorisms.bsky.social
A commonplace of found aphorisms & proverbs.
"Aphorisms are like airplanes,
they stay up only while they are in motion."
—Nabokov
"All songs are proverbial—
those of birds, rivers, winds, rocks . . ."
—DW
Pinned
—Note—
Some of these were already aphorisms. Some are aphoristic sounding excerpts. Others have been edited to fit the aphoristic form. Some were already standalone quotes, while many are fragments from longer poems & prose.
Ed. Dick Whyte
@forgottenpoets.bsky.social
@dailyhaikai.bsky.social
🖤
#299
“Poetry is one of the ancient arts, and it begins as did all the fine arts, within the original wilderness of the earth.”
—Mary Oliver (via ForgottenPoets)
@forgottenpoets.bsky.social
#proverb #aphorism #poetry
🖤
“Poetry is one of the ancient arts, and it begins as did all the fine arts, within the original wilderness of the earth.”
—Mary Oliver (via ForgottenPoets)
@forgottenpoets.bsky.social
#proverb #aphorism #poetry
🖤
November 26, 2025 at 11:55 PM
#299
“Poetry is one of the ancient arts, and it begins as did all the fine arts, within the original wilderness of the earth.”
—Mary Oliver (via ForgottenPoets)
@forgottenpoets.bsky.social
#proverb #aphorism #poetry
🖤
“Poetry is one of the ancient arts, and it begins as did all the fine arts, within the original wilderness of the earth.”
—Mary Oliver (via ForgottenPoets)
@forgottenpoets.bsky.social
#proverb #aphorism #poetry
🖤
#298
“If I feel physically as if the top of my head were taken off, I know that is poetry.”
Emily Dickinson (via ForgottenPoets)
@forgottenpoets.bsky.social
#proverb #aphorism #poetry
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“If I feel physically as if the top of my head were taken off, I know that is poetry.”
Emily Dickinson (via ForgottenPoets)
@forgottenpoets.bsky.social
#proverb #aphorism #poetry
🖤
November 26, 2025 at 11:51 PM
#298
“If I feel physically as if the top of my head were taken off, I know that is poetry.”
Emily Dickinson (via ForgottenPoets)
@forgottenpoets.bsky.social
#proverb #aphorism #poetry
🖤
“If I feel physically as if the top of my head were taken off, I know that is poetry.”
Emily Dickinson (via ForgottenPoets)
@forgottenpoets.bsky.social
#proverb #aphorism #poetry
🖤
#297
"Do anything, but let it produce joy."
—Walt Whitman (via Sanctorium)
@sanctorium.bsky.social
#proverb #aphorism #poetry
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"Do anything, but let it produce joy."
—Walt Whitman (via Sanctorium)
@sanctorium.bsky.social
#proverb #aphorism #poetry
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November 25, 2025 at 7:40 PM
#297
"Do anything, but let it produce joy."
—Walt Whitman (via Sanctorium)
@sanctorium.bsky.social
#proverb #aphorism #poetry
🖤
"Do anything, but let it produce joy."
—Walt Whitman (via Sanctorium)
@sanctorium.bsky.social
#proverb #aphorism #poetry
🖤
#296
“We poets are born old: with the passing of years we become children.”
—Humberto Akʼabal (via ZeeshanJaanam)
@zeeshanpathan.bsky.social
#aphorism #proverb #poetry
🖤
“We poets are born old: with the passing of years we become children.”
—Humberto Akʼabal (via ZeeshanJaanam)
@zeeshanpathan.bsky.social
#aphorism #proverb #poetry
🖤
November 22, 2025 at 3:01 AM
#296
“We poets are born old: with the passing of years we become children.”
—Humberto Akʼabal (via ZeeshanJaanam)
@zeeshanpathan.bsky.social
#aphorism #proverb #poetry
🖤
“We poets are born old: with the passing of years we become children.”
—Humberto Akʼabal (via ZeeshanJaanam)
@zeeshanpathan.bsky.social
#aphorism #proverb #poetry
🖤
#293
“A poem is about something the way a cat is about the house.”
—Allen Grossman (via Stone Circle Review)
@stonecirclereview.bsky.social
#proverb #aphorism #poetry
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“A poem is about something the way a cat is about the house.”
—Allen Grossman (via Stone Circle Review)
@stonecirclereview.bsky.social
#proverb #aphorism #poetry
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November 20, 2025 at 3:57 PM
#293
“A poem is about something the way a cat is about the house.”
—Allen Grossman (via Stone Circle Review)
@stonecirclereview.bsky.social
#proverb #aphorism #poetry
🖤
“A poem is about something the way a cat is about the house.”
—Allen Grossman (via Stone Circle Review)
@stonecirclereview.bsky.social
#proverb #aphorism #poetry
🖤
#294
“You can live three days without bread—without poetry, never.”
—Charles Baudelaire (via ForgottenPoets)
@forgottenpoets.bsky.social
#aphorism #proverb #poetry
🖤
“You can live three days without bread—without poetry, never.”
—Charles Baudelaire (via ForgottenPoets)
@forgottenpoets.bsky.social
#aphorism #proverb #poetry
🖤
November 20, 2025 at 3:56 PM
#294
“You can live three days without bread—without poetry, never.”
—Charles Baudelaire (via ForgottenPoets)
@forgottenpoets.bsky.social
#aphorism #proverb #poetry
🖤
“You can live three days without bread—without poetry, never.”
—Charles Baudelaire (via ForgottenPoets)
@forgottenpoets.bsky.social
#aphorism #proverb #poetry
🖤
#292
“Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.”
—James Baldwin (via M. Kabir)
@mkabir.bsky.social
#aphorisms #proverbs #quotes
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“Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.”
—James Baldwin (via M. Kabir)
@mkabir.bsky.social
#aphorisms #proverbs #quotes
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March 2, 2025 at 3:05 AM
#292
“Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.”
—James Baldwin (via M. Kabir)
@mkabir.bsky.social
#aphorisms #proverbs #quotes
🖤
“Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.”
—James Baldwin (via M. Kabir)
@mkabir.bsky.social
#aphorisms #proverbs #quotes
🖤
#291
"If you want money more than anything, you will be bought and sold."
—Rumi (via Zeeshan Jaanam)
@zeeshanpathan.bsky.social
#aphorisms #proverbs #poetry
🖤
"If you want money more than anything, you will be bought and sold."
—Rumi (via Zeeshan Jaanam)
@zeeshanpathan.bsky.social
#aphorisms #proverbs #poetry
🖤
February 21, 2025 at 8:38 PM
#291
"If you want money more than anything, you will be bought and sold."
—Rumi (via Zeeshan Jaanam)
@zeeshanpathan.bsky.social
#aphorisms #proverbs #poetry
🖤
"If you want money more than anything, you will be bought and sold."
—Rumi (via Zeeshan Jaanam)
@zeeshanpathan.bsky.social
#aphorisms #proverbs #poetry
🖤
#290
"Laughing together is deeply sexy."
—Chen Chen
@chenchenwrites.bsky.social
#aphorisms #proverbs #poetry
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"Laughing together is deeply sexy."
—Chen Chen
@chenchenwrites.bsky.social
#aphorisms #proverbs #poetry
🖤
February 18, 2025 at 7:37 AM
#290
"Laughing together is deeply sexy."
—Chen Chen
@chenchenwrites.bsky.social
#aphorisms #proverbs #poetry
🖤
"Laughing together is deeply sexy."
—Chen Chen
@chenchenwrites.bsky.social
#aphorisms #proverbs #poetry
🖤
#289
“To those who no longer have a homeland, writing becomes home.”
― Theodor W. Adorno (via Zeeshan Jaanam)
@zeeshanpathan.bsky.social
#aphorisms #proberbs #quotes
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“To those who no longer have a homeland, writing becomes home.”
― Theodor W. Adorno (via Zeeshan Jaanam)
@zeeshanpathan.bsky.social
#aphorisms #proberbs #quotes
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February 17, 2025 at 2:41 AM
#289
“To those who no longer have a homeland, writing becomes home.”
― Theodor W. Adorno (via Zeeshan Jaanam)
@zeeshanpathan.bsky.social
#aphorisms #proberbs #quotes
🖤
“To those who no longer have a homeland, writing becomes home.”
― Theodor W. Adorno (via Zeeshan Jaanam)
@zeeshanpathan.bsky.social
#aphorisms #proberbs #quotes
🖤
#288
"You have to love. You have to feel. It is the reason you are here on earth. You are here to risk your heart."
—Louise Erdrich (via Chen Chen)
@chenchenwrites.bsky.social
#aphorisms #proverbs #poetry
🖤
"You have to love. You have to feel. It is the reason you are here on earth. You are here to risk your heart."
—Louise Erdrich (via Chen Chen)
@chenchenwrites.bsky.social
#aphorisms #proverbs #poetry
🖤
February 16, 2025 at 9:22 PM
#288
"You have to love. You have to feel. It is the reason you are here on earth. You are here to risk your heart."
—Louise Erdrich (via Chen Chen)
@chenchenwrites.bsky.social
#aphorisms #proverbs #poetry
🖤
"You have to love. You have to feel. It is the reason you are here on earth. You are here to risk your heart."
—Louise Erdrich (via Chen Chen)
@chenchenwrites.bsky.social
#aphorisms #proverbs #poetry
🖤
#287
"Poetry is the lifeblood of rebellion, revolution, and the raising of consciousness."
—Alice Walker (via Zeeshan Jaanam)
@zeeshanpathan.bsky.social
#aphorisms #proverbs #poetry
🖤
"Poetry is the lifeblood of rebellion, revolution, and the raising of consciousness."
—Alice Walker (via Zeeshan Jaanam)
@zeeshanpathan.bsky.social
#aphorisms #proverbs #poetry
🖤
February 12, 2025 at 7:56 PM
#287
"Poetry is the lifeblood of rebellion, revolution, and the raising of consciousness."
—Alice Walker (via Zeeshan Jaanam)
@zeeshanpathan.bsky.social
#aphorisms #proverbs #poetry
🖤
"Poetry is the lifeblood of rebellion, revolution, and the raising of consciousness."
—Alice Walker (via Zeeshan Jaanam)
@zeeshanpathan.bsky.social
#aphorisms #proverbs #poetry
🖤
#286
"Poverty is a failure of society, not an individual."
—Jess Scarane (via Mandi Rose)
@mandipom.bsky.social
#aphorisms #proverbs
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"Poverty is a failure of society, not an individual."
—Jess Scarane (via Mandi Rose)
@mandipom.bsky.social
#aphorisms #proverbs
🖤
February 11, 2025 at 8:12 PM
#286
"Poverty is a failure of society, not an individual."
—Jess Scarane (via Mandi Rose)
@mandipom.bsky.social
#aphorisms #proverbs
🖤
"Poverty is a failure of society, not an individual."
—Jess Scarane (via Mandi Rose)
@mandipom.bsky.social
#aphorisms #proverbs
🖤
#285
"In the very end, civilizations perish because they listen to their politicians and not to their poets."
—Jonas Mekas (via Forgotten Poets)
@forgottenpoets.bsky.social
#aphorisms #proverbs #poetry
🖤
"In the very end, civilizations perish because they listen to their politicians and not to their poets."
—Jonas Mekas (via Forgotten Poets)
@forgottenpoets.bsky.social
#aphorisms #proverbs #poetry
🖤
February 9, 2025 at 6:22 PM
#285
"In the very end, civilizations perish because they listen to their politicians and not to their poets."
—Jonas Mekas (via Forgotten Poets)
@forgottenpoets.bsky.social
#aphorisms #proverbs #poetry
🖤
"In the very end, civilizations perish because they listen to their politicians and not to their poets."
—Jonas Mekas (via Forgotten Poets)
@forgottenpoets.bsky.social
#aphorisms #proverbs #poetry
🖤
#284
“What has no shadow has no strength to live.”
―Czeslaw Milosz (via Jerusha J.)
@respectabledolphin.bsky.social
#aphorisms #proverbs #poetry
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“What has no shadow has no strength to live.”
―Czeslaw Milosz (via Jerusha J.)
@respectabledolphin.bsky.social
#aphorisms #proverbs #poetry
🖤
February 9, 2025 at 7:20 AM
#284
“What has no shadow has no strength to live.”
―Czeslaw Milosz (via Jerusha J.)
@respectabledolphin.bsky.social
#aphorisms #proverbs #poetry
🖤
“What has no shadow has no strength to live.”
―Czeslaw Milosz (via Jerusha J.)
@respectabledolphin.bsky.social
#aphorisms #proverbs #poetry
🖤
#283
"Let us who live try."
—Charles Olson (via Tom Snarsky)
@tomsnarsky.bsky.social
#aphorisms #proverbs #poetry
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"Let us who live try."
—Charles Olson (via Tom Snarsky)
@tomsnarsky.bsky.social
#aphorisms #proverbs #poetry
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January 29, 2025 at 8:49 PM
#283
"Let us who live try."
—Charles Olson (via Tom Snarsky)
@tomsnarsky.bsky.social
#aphorisms #proverbs #poetry
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"Let us who live try."
—Charles Olson (via Tom Snarsky)
@tomsnarsky.bsky.social
#aphorisms #proverbs #poetry
🖤
#282
“Poetry is like gossiping about god and praying to a pine tree.”
—Chen Chen
@chenchenwrites.bsky.social
#aphorisms #proverbs #poetry
🖤
“Poetry is like gossiping about god and praying to a pine tree.”
—Chen Chen
@chenchenwrites.bsky.social
#aphorisms #proverbs #poetry
🖤
January 24, 2025 at 12:22 AM
#282
“Poetry is like gossiping about god and praying to a pine tree.”
—Chen Chen
@chenchenwrites.bsky.social
#aphorisms #proverbs #poetry
🖤
“Poetry is like gossiping about god and praying to a pine tree.”
—Chen Chen
@chenchenwrites.bsky.social
#aphorisms #proverbs #poetry
🖤
#281
“Be kinder to yourself.”
—Adrienne Rich (via Tom Snarsky)
@tomsnarsky.bsky.social
#aphorisms #proverbs #poetry
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“Be kinder to yourself.”
—Adrienne Rich (via Tom Snarsky)
@tomsnarsky.bsky.social
#aphorisms #proverbs #poetry
🖤
January 24, 2025 at 12:02 AM
#281
“Be kinder to yourself.”
—Adrienne Rich (via Tom Snarsky)
@tomsnarsky.bsky.social
#aphorisms #proverbs #poetry
🖤
“Be kinder to yourself.”
—Adrienne Rich (via Tom Snarsky)
@tomsnarsky.bsky.social
#aphorisms #proverbs #poetry
🖤
#280
"Life should be blissful, and blissful doesn't mean just a small happiness—it's huge, it is profound."
—David Lynch R.I.P.
#aphorisms #proverbs #quotes
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"Life should be blissful, and blissful doesn't mean just a small happiness—it's huge, it is profound."
—David Lynch R.I.P.
#aphorisms #proverbs #quotes
🖤
January 17, 2025 at 2:16 AM
#280
"Life should be blissful, and blissful doesn't mean just a small happiness—it's huge, it is profound."
—David Lynch R.I.P.
#aphorisms #proverbs #quotes
🖤
"Life should be blissful, and blissful doesn't mean just a small happiness—it's huge, it is profound."
—David Lynch R.I.P.
#aphorisms #proverbs #quotes
🖤
#279
"Goodnight, Empire—Goodnight, white supremacy—Your veins are dangling from my teeth."
—Bhanu Kapil (via Chen Chen)
@chenchenwrites.bsky.social
#aphorisms #proverbs #poetry
🖤
"Goodnight, Empire—Goodnight, white supremacy—Your veins are dangling from my teeth."
—Bhanu Kapil (via Chen Chen)
@chenchenwrites.bsky.social
#aphorisms #proverbs #poetry
🖤
January 14, 2025 at 4:50 AM
#279
"Goodnight, Empire—Goodnight, white supremacy—Your veins are dangling from my teeth."
—Bhanu Kapil (via Chen Chen)
@chenchenwrites.bsky.social
#aphorisms #proverbs #poetry
🖤
"Goodnight, Empire—Goodnight, white supremacy—Your veins are dangling from my teeth."
—Bhanu Kapil (via Chen Chen)
@chenchenwrites.bsky.social
#aphorisms #proverbs #poetry
🖤
#278
"You may enthrone your heart in the petals of a rosebud, or form with it the nucleus of a snowball—inevitably both will perish."
—Louise Stedman Bostick (via Forgotten Poets)
@forgottenpoets.bsky.social
#aphorisms #proverbs #poetry
🖤
"You may enthrone your heart in the petals of a rosebud, or form with it the nucleus of a snowball—inevitably both will perish."
—Louise Stedman Bostick (via Forgotten Poets)
@forgottenpoets.bsky.social
#aphorisms #proverbs #poetry
🖤
January 14, 2025 at 4:37 AM
#278
"You may enthrone your heart in the petals of a rosebud, or form with it the nucleus of a snowball—inevitably both will perish."
—Louise Stedman Bostick (via Forgotten Poets)
@forgottenpoets.bsky.social
#aphorisms #proverbs #poetry
🖤
"You may enthrone your heart in the petals of a rosebud, or form with it the nucleus of a snowball—inevitably both will perish."
—Louise Stedman Bostick (via Forgotten Poets)
@forgottenpoets.bsky.social
#aphorisms #proverbs #poetry
🖤
#277
"Find a field of lilacs—let this be the healing and if not, let it be."
—Danez Smith (via Forgotten Poets)
@forgottenpoets.bsky.social
#aphorisms #proverbs #poetry
🖤
"Find a field of lilacs—let this be the healing and if not, let it be."
—Danez Smith (via Forgotten Poets)
@forgottenpoets.bsky.social
#aphorisms #proverbs #poetry
🖤
January 14, 2025 at 4:37 AM
#277
"Find a field of lilacs—let this be the healing and if not, let it be."
—Danez Smith (via Forgotten Poets)
@forgottenpoets.bsky.social
#aphorisms #proverbs #poetry
🖤
"Find a field of lilacs—let this be the healing and if not, let it be."
—Danez Smith (via Forgotten Poets)
@forgottenpoets.bsky.social
#aphorisms #proverbs #poetry
🖤
#276
“Love is the necessary foundation enabling us to survive the wars, the hardships, & the sickness & the dying with our spirits intact—it is love that allows us to survive whole.”
—bell hooks (via Tash)
@tashmahal.bsky.social
#aphorisms #proverbs #poetry
🖤
“Love is the necessary foundation enabling us to survive the wars, the hardships, & the sickness & the dying with our spirits intact—it is love that allows us to survive whole.”
—bell hooks (via Tash)
@tashmahal.bsky.social
#aphorisms #proverbs #poetry
🖤
January 14, 2025 at 4:30 AM
#276
“Love is the necessary foundation enabling us to survive the wars, the hardships, & the sickness & the dying with our spirits intact—it is love that allows us to survive whole.”
—bell hooks (via Tash)
@tashmahal.bsky.social
#aphorisms #proverbs #poetry
🖤
“Love is the necessary foundation enabling us to survive the wars, the hardships, & the sickness & the dying with our spirits intact—it is love that allows us to survive whole.”
—bell hooks (via Tash)
@tashmahal.bsky.social
#aphorisms #proverbs #poetry
🖤
#275
"Dearest, I beg of you, sleep properly and go for walks."
—Franz Kafka (via Forgotten Poets)
@forgottenpoets.bsky.social
#aphorisms #proverbs #poetry
🖤
"Dearest, I beg of you, sleep properly and go for walks."
—Franz Kafka (via Forgotten Poets)
@forgottenpoets.bsky.social
#aphorisms #proverbs #poetry
🖤
January 8, 2025 at 1:06 AM
#275
"Dearest, I beg of you, sleep properly and go for walks."
—Franz Kafka (via Forgotten Poets)
@forgottenpoets.bsky.social
#aphorisms #proverbs #poetry
🖤
"Dearest, I beg of you, sleep properly and go for walks."
—Franz Kafka (via Forgotten Poets)
@forgottenpoets.bsky.social
#aphorisms #proverbs #poetry
🖤