Mortality Oh, why should the spirit of mortal be proud?…
““Mortality Oh, why should the spirit of mortal be proud? Like a swift-fleeting meteor, a fast-flying cloud, A flash of the lightning, a break of the wave, He passes from life to his rest in the grave. The leaves of the oak and the willow shall fade, Be scattered around, and together be laid; And the young and the old, the low and the high, Shall molder to dust, and together shall lie. Yea, hope and despondency, pleasure and pain, Are mingled together in sunshine and rain; And the smile and the tear, the song and the dirge, Still follow each other, like surge upon surge. 'Tis the wink of an eye - 'tis the draught of a breath - From the blossom of health to the paleness of death, From the gilded saloon to the bier and the shroud Oh, why should the spirit of mortal be proud?””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Mortality reminds us that life and death, joy and sorrow, are fleeting and intertwined; pride in being mortal is misplaced.
In simple terms: Life and death are intertwined
Key Takeaway
Embrace humility
Themes
mortality
impermanence
humility
Mood
poetic
philosophical
Type
Death:1
Life:1
Mortal:1
Religion:0
Pleasure And Pain:1
Mortal Proud:0
Spirit Mortal:0
Death Gilded:0
Mingled Sunshine:0
When to use this quote
- creative writing
- spiritual practice
Key Concepts
grief counseling
philosophical reflection
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you find meaning amid transience?
- What role does humility play in facing death?
A Different Perspective
Focusing solely on impermanence can lead to nihilism.