Demon or bird! (said the boy’s soul,) Is it indeed toward…
““Demon or bird! (said the boy’s soul,) Is it indeed toward your mate you sing? or is it mostly to me? For I, that was a child, my tongue’s use sleeping, Now I have heard you, Now in a moment I know what I am for—I awake, 150 And already a thousand singers—a thousand songs, clearer, louder and more sorrowful than yours, A thousand warbling echoes have started to life within me, Never to die. O you singer, solitary, singing by yourself—projecting me; O solitary me, listening—nevermore shall I cease perpetuating you; 155 Never more shall I escape, never more the reverberations, Never more the cries of unsatisfied love be absent from me, Never again leave me to be the peaceful child I was before what there, in the night, By the sea, under the yellow and sagging moon, The messenger there arous’d—the fire, the sweet hell within, 160 The unknown want, the destiny of me.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The poet describes a transformative awakening, where inner voice and creative expression become a powerful, endless chorus, reflecting personal growth and the yearning for connection.
In simple terms: Awakening to inner voice creates endless creative expression.
Key Takeaway
Embrace your inner voice and let it guide you.
Themes
awakening
creativity
connection
Mood
inspired
reflective
Type
poetic
philosophical
When to use this quote
- personal growth
- artistic expression
- spiritual seeking
Key Concepts
existentialism
self‑discovery
Questions to Reflect On
- What inner voice calls to you now?
- How can you channel this creative energy constructively?
A Different Perspective
Continuous expression may become overwhelming without balance.