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Drunken Quote by A.J. Smith

“He blurred his thens and his nows—in a fantastic drunken distortion—with the thisness and thenness of now and before, re-spectively; wisps of Bburke with Jane infiltrated him without her, the way dry oars still taste of salt. And it made Bburke trace Jane’s silhouette in his bedsheets with his…” quote by A.J. Smith
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““He blurred his thens and his nows—in a fantastic drunken distortion—with the thisness and thenness of now and before, re-spectively; wisps of Bburke with Jane infiltrated him without her, the way dry oars still taste of salt. And it made Bburke trace Jane’s silhouette in his bedsheets with his lips, wondering if his sadness and loneliness was of any import to the grander human comedy, like the swooning soul of Joyce’s Gabriel, lost amidst a universe of snow—because, in small, unnoticeable ways, must not the sea taste of oars?””

A.J. Smith

About This Quote

The passage reflects on memory, longing, and how past and present blend into a surreal, poetic experience.

In simple terms: Memory and longing merge in a surreal way.

Key Takeaway

Embrace the fluidity of past and present.

Themes

memory longing surrealism identity artistic expression

Mood

melancholic contemplative

Type

literary poetic

When to use this quote

  • creative writing
  • personal introspection
  • art criticism

Key Concepts

temporal blending existential reflection literary allusion

Questions to Reflect On

  • How does blending past and present affect your sense of self?
  • What emotions arise from the surreal imagery?
A Different Perspective

The dense, obscure language may limit clarity for many readers.

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