Music is not ornamented poetry, and poetry is not ornamented prose. Poetry is fallen music, and prose is fallen poetry. Prose is not the original language; it is poetry made practical. Even poetry is not the original language; it is music made speakable, it is the words of music separated from their music. In the beginning was music.

- Peter Kreeft, The Philosophy of Tolkien, p. 162.

It is as impossible to translate poetry as it is to translate music.

- Voltaire