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When I was a tadpole and you were a fish In the Paleozoic…

“When I was a tadpole and you were a fish In the Paleozoic time, And side by side on the ebbing tide, We sprawled through the ooze and slime, Or skittered with many a caudal flip, Through the depths of the Cambrian fen, My heart was rife with the joy of life, For I loved you even then. Mindless we…” quote by Langdon Smith
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““When I was a tadpole and you were a fish In the Paleozoic time, And side by side on the ebbing tide, We sprawled through the ooze and slime, Or skittered with many a caudal flip, Through the depths of the Cambrian fen, My heart was rife with the joy of life, For I loved you even then. Mindless we lived and mindless we loved, And mindless at last we died, And deep in a rift of the caradoc drift, We slumbered side by side, The world turned on in the lathe of time, The hot lands heaved amain, Till we caught our breath from the womb of death, And crept into light again.””

Langdon Smith

About This Quote

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

Reflects on ancient love and existence, using prehistoric imagery to convey timeless connection and mortality.

In simple terms: Love persists across ages, even in primitive forms.

Key Takeaway

Recognize love’s enduring, universal nature.

Themes

love time mortality nature

Mood

reflective melancholic

Type

poetry philosophical

When to use this quote

  • relationship counseling
  • creative writing
  • educational curricula
  • personal meditation

Key Concepts

evolutionary romance philosophical reflection

Questions to Reflect On

  • What does the prehistoric setting symbolize?
  • How does mortality shape love?
A Different Perspective

Poetic language may obscure literal meaning.

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