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My love and I are inventing a country, which we can…

“My love and I are inventing a country, which we can already see taking shape, as if wheels were passing through yellow mud. But there is a problem: if we put a river in the country, it will thaw and begin flooding. If we put the river on the border, there will be trouble. If we forget about the…” quote by Larry Levis
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“My love and I are inventing a country, which we can already see taking shape, as if wheels were passing through yellow mud. But there is a problem: if we put a river in the country, it will thaw and begin flooding. If we put the river on the border, there will be trouble. If we forget about the river, there will be now way out. There is already a sky over that country, waiting for clouds or smoke. Birds have flown into it, too. Each evening more trees fill with their eyes, and what they see we can never erase.”

Larry Levis

About This Quote

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

Imagining a new world together, but practical obstacles arise, symbolized by a river that can both sustain and destroy.

In simple terms: Creating a shared vision faces real challenges.

Key Takeaway

Plan for obstacles early.

Themes

creativity relationships vision conflict planning

Mood

hopeful reflective

Type

poetic philosophical

When to use this quote

  • building a partnership
  • urban planning
  • environmental design
  • narrative storytelling

Key Concepts

Utopian imagination practical constraints

Questions to Reflect On

  • How do you balance imagination with practicality?
  • What compromises are necessary for shared dreams?
A Different Perspective

Idealism may ignore essential logistics.

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