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There were no lions any more. There had been lions once…

“There were no lions any more. There had been lions once. Sometimes in the shimmer of the heat on the plains the motion of their running still flickered on the dry wind — tawny, great, and quickly gone. Sometimes the honey-colored moon shivered to the silence of a ghost-roar on the rising air.” quote by Russell Hoban
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““There were no lions any more. There had been lions once. Sometimes in the shimmer of the heat on the plains the motion of their running still flickered on the dry wind — tawny, great, and quickly gone. Sometimes the honey-colored moon shivered to the silence of a ghost-roar on the rising air.””

Russell Hoban

About This Quote

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

The memory of extinct predators lingers in the landscape, evoking awe and melancholy.

In simple terms: Lost wildlife still haunts our imagination.

Key Takeaway

Remember past ecosystems to value current nature.

Themes

nature loss memory

Mood

somber contemplative poetic

Type

literary environmental

When to use this quote

  • wildlife conservation
  • education
  • artistic inspiration

Key Concepts

Extinction nostalgia environmental awareness

Questions to Reflect On

  • What does the vanished lion symbolize for you?
  • How can remembering loss motivate preservation?
A Different Perspective

Romanticizing extinction can distract from present challenges.

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