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The moon rises. The red cubs rolling In the ferns by the…

“The moon rises. The red cubs rolling In the ferns by the rotten oak Stare over a marsh and a meadow To the farm's white wisp of smoke. A spark burns, high in heaven. Deer thread the blossoming rows Of the old orchard, rabbits Hop by the well-curb. The cock crows From the tree by the widow's walk…” quote by Randall Jarrell
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““The moon rises. The red cubs rolling In the ferns by the rotten oak Stare over a marsh and a meadow To the farm's white wisp of smoke. A spark burns, high in heaven. Deer thread the blossoming rows Of the old orchard, rabbits Hop by the well-curb. The cock crows From the tree by the widow's walk; Two stars in the trees to the west, Are snared, and an owl's soft cry Runs like a breath through the forest. Here too, though death is hushed, though joy Obscures, like night, their wars, The beings of this world are swept By the Strife that moves the stars.””

Randall Jarrell

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 natural beauty with underlying conflict, showing how life persists amid chaos.

In simple terms: Nature and conflict coexist.

Key Takeaway

Recognize beauty even in turbulent times.

Themes

nature conflict transience

Mood

melancholic hopeful

Type

literary reflective

When to use this quote

  • war zones
  • environmental crises
  • personal loss

Key Concepts

ecology philosophy poetics

Questions to Reflect On

  • How does the poem balance hope and despair?
  • What does the “Strife that moves the stars” symbolize?
A Different Perspective

The imagery may romanticize suffering.

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