A wounded deer leaps highest, I've heard the hunter tell…
“A wounded deer leaps highest, I've heard the hunter tell; 'Tis but the ecstasy of death, And then the brake is still. The smitten rock that gushes, The trampled steel that springs,, A cheek is always redder Just where the hectic stings Mirth is mail of anguish, In which its cautious arm Lest anybody spy the blood And, you're hurt exclaim.”
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 juxtaposes the wounded deer’s leap with the hunter’s ecstasy, reflecting on pain, death, and hidden suffering.
In simple terms: Pain and death hide behind beauty.
Key Takeaway
Recognize hidden suffering in triumph.
Themes
pain
death
nature
contrast
hidden truth
Mood
melancholic
thoughtful
Type
poetic
philosophical
When to use this quote
- war
- hunting
- personal loss
- artistic expression
Key Concepts
mortality
ecstasy
vulnerability
Questions to Reflect On
- How does suffering shape beauty?
- What does the hunter’s joy reveal?
A Different Perspective
Interpretation may be obscure.