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When Jordan was a baby he sat on top of me much as a fly…

“When Jordan was a baby he sat on top of me much as a fly rests on a hill of dung. And I nourished him as a hill of dung nourishes a fly, and when he had eaten his fill he left me. Jordan... I should have named him after a stagnant pond and then I could have kept him, but I named him after a river…” quote by Jeanette Winterson
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““When Jordan was a baby he sat on top of me much as a fly rests on a hill of dung. And I nourished him as a hill of dung nourishes a fly, and when he had eaten his fill he left me. Jordan... I should have named him after a stagnant pond and then I could have kept him, but I named him after a river and in the flood-tide he slipped away.””

Jeanette Winterson

About This Quote

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

A metaphor about a fleeting relationship, likening a lover to a fly on dung and a river that cannot be held.

In simple terms: A lover slipped away like a river.

Key Takeaway

Accept impermanence, cherish moments.

Themes

love impermanence loss

Mood

melancholic reflective

Type

literary poetic

When to use this quote

  • romantic relationships
  • family ties
  • friendships
  • creative collaborations

Key Concepts

metaphor transience attachment

Questions to Reflect On

  • What relationships have you let go?
  • How do you honor fleeting connections?
A Different Perspective

The metaphor may romanticize loss, overlooking agency.

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