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Full knee-deep lies the winter snow, And the winter winds…

“Full knee-deep lies the winter snow, And the winter winds are wearily sighing: Toll ye the church bell sad and slow, And tread softly and speak low, For the old year lies a-dying. Old year you must not die; You came to us so readily, You lived with us so steadily, Old year you shall not die.” quote by Alfred Lord Tennyson
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“Full knee-deep lies the winter snow, And the winter winds are wearily sighing: Toll ye the church bell sad and slow, And tread softly and speak low, For the old year lies a-dying. Old year you must not die; You came to us so readily, You lived with us so steadily, Old year you shall not die.”

Alfred Lord Tennyson

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The poem personifies the old year, urging it not to die, reflecting on the passage of time and melancholy.

In simple terms: The old year is urged to linger, reflecting on time and sadness.

Key Takeaway

Cherish moments before they fade.

Themes

time mortality nostalgia

Mood

somber contemplative

Type

poetic philosophical

When to use this quote

  • end of year reflections
  • grief processing
  • rituals
  • historical remembrance

Key Concepts

personification poetry seasonal change

Questions to Reflect On

  • What does the old year symbolize for you?
  • How do you honor endings?
A Different Perspective

It may romanticize death and resist natural cycles.

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