Aside I turn to the holy, unspeakable, mysterious Night…
““Aside I turn to the holy, unspeakable, mysterious Night. Afar lies the world -- sunk in a deep grave -- waste and lonely is its place. In the chords of the bosom blows a deep sadness. I am ready to sink away in drops of dew, and mingle with the ashes. -- The distances of memory, the wishes of youth, the dreams of childhood, the brief joys and vain hopes of a whole long life, arise in gray garments, like an evening vapor after the sunset. In other regions the light has pitched its joyous tents. What if it should never return to its children, who wait for it with the faith of innocence?””
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 laments life's transience, yearning for renewal, and the fragile hope that light returns.
In simple terms: Life is fleeting; hope seeks light.
Key Takeaway
Hold hope amid darkness.
Themes
mortality
hope
transience
spiritual yearning
Mood
melancholic
contemplative
Type
poetic
philosophical
When to use this quote
- grief
- reflection
- creative writing
- philosophical discourse
Key Concepts
existentialism
romanticism
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you sustain hope in loss?
- What does “light” symbolize for you?
A Different Perspective
Hope may be unrealistic when circumstances are bleak.