Reluctance Out through the fields and the woods And over…
““Reluctance Out through the fields and the woods And over the walls I have wended; I have climbed the hills of view And looked at the world, and descended; I have come by the highway home, And lo, it is ended. The leaves are all dead on the ground, Save those that the oak is keeping To ravel them one by one And let them go scraping and creeping Out over the crusted snow, When others are sleeping. And the dead leaves lie huddled and still, No longer blown hither and thither; The last lone aster is gone; The flowers of the witch-hazel wither; The heart is still aching to seek, But the feet question 'Whither?' Ah, when to the heart of man Was it ever less than a treason To go with the drift of things, To yield with a grace to reason, And bow and accept the end Of a love or a season?””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The speaker reflects on life's journey, its endings, and the lingering ache of unfulfilled longing.
In simple terms: Life ends, leaving yearning.
Key Takeaway
Accept endings while honoring lingering hopes.
Themes
mortality
reflection
longing
Mood
melancholic
contemplative
Type
poetic
philosophical
When to use this quote
- end of life
- grieving loss
- contemplating purpose
Key Concepts
existentialism
nature metaphor
Questions to Reflect On
- What personal endings feel unresolved?
- How do you find meaning after loss?
A Different Perspective
The poem's abstract language may obscure concrete meaning.