One day I wrote her name upon the strand, But came the…
“One day I wrote her name upon the strand, But came the waves and washèd it away: Again I wrote it with a second hand, But came the tide and made my pains his prey. Vain man (said she) that dost in vain assay A mortal thing so to immortalise; For I myself shall like to this decay, And eke my name be wipèd out likewise. Not so (quod I); let baser things devise To die in dust, but you shall live by fame; My verse your virtues rare shall eternise, And in the heavens write your glorious name: Where, when as Death shall all the world subdue, Our love shall live, and later life renew.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The poet vows to immortalize a beloved through verse, defying death and decay.
In simple terms: Write lasting tribute to outlive mortality.
Key Takeaway
Create enduring legacy through art.
Themes
love
legacy
immortality
Mood
poetic
hopeful
Type
literary
inspirational
When to use this quote
- writing a tribute
- commemorating a loved one
- preserving history
- artistic expression
Key Concepts
poetry
memory
eternity
Questions to Reflect On
- What does it mean to achieve immortality through words?
- How can art resist the passage of time?
A Different Perspective
Art cannot truly prevent physical decay.