Quotes from Nicolas Calas

[Brandon J. Freels]

The following quotes of Greek Surrealist Nicolas Calas are from "The Meaning
of Surrealism: An Interview with Nicolas Calas" in New Directions in Prose
and Poetry (1940)

"Surrealism is the exact opposite of folklore poetry, which is something
imposed on the individual, while Surrealism understands poetry as the
expression of the most profound desires of the individual. In this sense
Surrealism is anarchistic whilst folklore is the expression of the repressed
feelings of a collectivity." (p. 385)

"It is false to think that Surrealists are against reason. It is as false to
think they are against day. But poetry has nothing to do with reason; it is
an expression of dreams. It speaks in images and follows their
associations." (p. 388)

"Surrealism is anti-religious. It is for the objective explanation and not
for the mystical interpretation. Surrealism looks for a transformation of
the world, a transformation by a change of environment, and not, as religion
does, for a transformation through prayer, and invocations of supernatural
powers. The prayer directed to an object ousted the world, God, leads us to
an attitude of escape; all that is religious in poetry is antipoetic; poetry
is the antithesis of prayer." (p. 392)