--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Cold eyelids that hide like a jewel Hard…" description: "\"“Cold eyelids that hide like a jewel Hard eyes that grow soft for an hour; The heavy white limbs, and the cruel Red mouth like a venomous flower; When ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/773/algernon-charles-swinburne-291_quote_cold-eyelids-that-hide-like-a-jewel-hard_1534494.jpg" --- # Cold eyelids that hide like a jewel Hard eyes that grow… ![“Cold eyelids that hide like a jewel Hard eyes that grow soft for an hour; The heavy white limbs, and the cruel Red mouth like a venomous flower; When these have gone by with their glories, What shall rest of thee then, what remain, O mystic and somber Delores, Our Lady of Pain?” quote by Algernon Charles Swinburne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/773/algernon-charles-swinburne-291_quote_cold-eyelids-that-hide-like-a-jewel-hard_1534494.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/773/algernon-charles-swinburne-291_quote_cold-eyelids-that-hide-like-a-jewel-hard_1534494.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/773/algernon-charles-swinburne-291_quote_cold-eyelids-that-hide-like-a-jewel-hard_1534494.jpg) > ““Cold eyelids that hide like a jewel Hard eyes that grow soft for an hour; The heavy white limbs, and the cruel Red mouth like a venomous flower; When these have gone by with their glories, What shall rest of thee then, what remain, O mystic and somber Delores, Our Lady of Pain?”” [Algernon Charles Swinburne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-charles-swinburne/) ## 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 portrays a mysterious, suffering figure whose beauty and agony intertwine, questioning the nature of pain and allure. **In simple terms:** A beautiful yet painful figure embodies paradoxical suffering. Key Takeaway Embrace both beauty and pain in life. Themes beauty pain myth romance duality Mood melancholic enigmatic Type poetic philosophical When to use this quote - art appreciation - grief counseling - personal reflection Key Concepts suffering aesthetic existentialism Questions to Reflect On - What does the “Lady of Pain” symbolize for you? - How do we find meaning in suffering? A Different Perspective Poetry can romanticize suffering. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cold Eyelids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cold-eyelids-5701677/) [Hard Eyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-eyes-1253266/) [Limbs Cruel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/limbs-cruel-5701680/) [Mystic Somber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mystic-somber-5701678/) [Somber Delores](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/somber-delores-5701679/) ## Related quotes > [Many oriental cultures make a distinction between two ways of looking - 'hard eyes' and 'soft eyes'. When we look with hard eyes, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-paul-caponigro/many-oriental-cultures-make-a-distinction-between-two-ways-of-looking/) [John Paul Caponigro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-paul-caponigro/) > [I try very hard to keep my eyes from darting to Sean because I'm quite certain that no one will be able to miss…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/i-try-very-hard-to-keep-my-eyes-from-darting-to-sean-because-i-m/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [And I got to play lead with Gene Barry - a fellow who has never, ever been hard on the eyes!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-robinson/and-i-got-to-play-lead-with-gene-barry-a-fellow-who-has-never-ever/) [Ann Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-robinson/) > [Thank you Lord, for being patient with me. For its so hard to see, when my eyes are on me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-green/thank-you-lord-for-being-patient-with-me-for-its-so-hard-to-see-when/) [Keith Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-green/) > [I'm obsessed with you. Falling hard. It's in your eyes. I dont know what to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-obsessed-with-you-falling-hard-it-s-in-your-eyes-i-dont-know-what/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“And all the while I try very hard to keep my eyes from darting to Sean because I'm quite certain that no one at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/and-all-the-while-i-try-very-hard-to-keep-my-eyes-from-darting-to/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [“Happy!" He leaned over the rail and tried to hold her eyes. But that is hard to do, for eyes are born dodgers and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-paley/happy-he-leaned-over-the-rail-and-tried-to-hold-her-eyes-but-that-is/) [Grace Paley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-paley/) > [...we still feel that color is hard on the eyes for so long a picture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-nugent/we-still-feel-that-color-is-hard-on-the-eyes-for-so-long-a-picture/) [Frank Nugent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-nugent/) ## More by Algernon Charles Swinburne > [I shall sleep, and move with the moving ships, Change as the winds change, veer in the tide.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-charles-swinburne/i-shall-sleep-and-move-with-the-moving-ships-change-as-the-winds/) [Algernon Charles Swinburne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-charles-swinburne/) > [Marvellous mercies and infinite love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-charles-swinburne/marvellous-mercies-and-infinite-love/) [Algernon Charles Swinburne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-charles-swinburne/) > [She knows not loves that kissed her She knows not where. Art thou the ghost, my sister, White sister there, Am I the ghost,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-charles-swinburne/she-knows-not-loves-that-kissed-her-she-knows-not-where-art-thou-the/) [Algernon Charles Swinburne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-charles-swinburne/) > [A little soul scarce fledged for earth Takes wing with heaven again for goal, Even while we hailed as fresh from birth A little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-charles-swinburne/a-little-soul-scarce-fledged-for-earth-takes-wing-with-heaven-again/) [Algernon Charles Swinburne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-charles-swinburne/) > [While three men hold together, the kingdoms are less by three.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-charles-swinburne/while-three-men-hold-together-the-kingdoms-are-less-by-three/) [Algernon Charles Swinburne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-charles-swinburne/) > [Body and spirit are twins: God only knows which is which.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-charles-swinburne/body-and-spirit-are-twins-god-only-knows-which-is-which/) [Algernon Charles Swinburne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-charles-swinburne/) > [Fruits fail and love dies and time ranges;Thou art fed with perpetual breath, and alive after infinite changes,And fresh from the kisses of death,Of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-charles-swinburne/fruits-fail-and-love-dies-and-time-ranges-thou-art-fed-with-perpetual/) [Algernon Charles Swinburne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-charles-swinburne/) > [“As the dawn loves the sunlight that must cease Ere dawn again may rise and pass in peace; Must die that she being dead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-charles-swinburne/as-the-dawn-loves-the-sunlight-that-must-cease-ere-dawn-again-may/) [Algernon Charles Swinburne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-charles-swinburne/) > [There is no safety-net to protect against attraction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-charles-swinburne/there-is-no-safety-net-to-protect-against-attraction/) [Algernon Charles Swinburne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-charles-swinburne/) > [Sorrow, on wing through the world for ever, Here and there for awhile would borrow Rest, if rest might haply deliver Sorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-charles-swinburne/sorrow-on-wing-through-the-world-for-ever-here-and-there-for-awhile/) [Algernon Charles Swinburne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-charles-swinburne/) > [“Love, that is first and last of all things made, The light that has the living world for shade, The spirit that for temporal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-charles-swinburne/love-that-is-first-and-last-of-all-things-made-the-light-that-has-the/) [Algernon Charles Swinburne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-charles-swinburne/) > [His life is a watch or a vision Between a sleep and a sleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-charles-swinburne/his-life-is-a-watch-or-a-vision-between-a-sleep-and-a-sleep/) [Algernon Charles Swinburne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-charles-swinburne/) > [“The half-brained creature to whom books are other than living things may see with the eyes of a bat and draw with the fingers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-charles-swinburne/the-half-brained-creature-to-whom-books-are-other-than-living-things/) [Algernon Charles Swinburne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-charles-swinburne/) > [The highest spiritual quality, the noblest property of mind a man can have, is this of loyalty ... a man with no loyalty in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-charles-swinburne/the-highest-spiritual-quality-the-noblest-property-of-mind-a-man-can/) [Algernon Charles Swinburne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-charles-swinburne/) > [To wipe off the froth of falsehood from the foaming lips of inebriated virtue, when fresh from the sexless orgies of morality and reeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-charles-swinburne/to-wipe-off-the-froth-of-falsehood-from-the-foaming-lips-of/) [Algernon Charles Swinburne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-charles-swinburne/) [Explore all 145 Algernon Charles Swinburne quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-charles-swinburne/) ## More Hard Eyes quotes > [Many oriental cultures make a distinction between two ways of looking - 'hard eyes' and 'soft eyes'. When we look with hard eyes, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-paul-caponigro/many-oriental-cultures-make-a-distinction-between-two-ways-of-looking/) [John Paul Caponigro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-paul-caponigro/) > [I try very hard to keep my eyes from darting to Sean because I'm quite certain that no one will be able to miss…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/i-try-very-hard-to-keep-my-eyes-from-darting-to-sean-because-i-m/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [And I got to play lead with Gene Barry - a fellow who has never, ever been hard on the eyes!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-robinson/and-i-got-to-play-lead-with-gene-barry-a-fellow-who-has-never-ever/) [Ann Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-robinson/) > [Thank you Lord, for being patient with me. For its so hard to see, when my eyes are on me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-green/thank-you-lord-for-being-patient-with-me-for-its-so-hard-to-see-when/) [Keith Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-green/) > [I'm obsessed with you. Falling hard. It's in your eyes. I dont know what to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-obsessed-with-you-falling-hard-it-s-in-your-eyes-i-dont-know-what/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“And all the while I try very hard to keep my eyes from darting to Sean because I'm quite certain that no one at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-stiefvater/and-all-the-while-i-try-very-hard-to-keep-my-eyes-from-darting-to/) [Maggie Stiefvater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-stiefvater/) > [“Happy!" He leaned over the rail and tried to hold her eyes. But that is hard to do, for eyes are born dodgers and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-paley/happy-he-leaned-over-the-rail-and-tried-to-hold-her-eyes-but-that-is/) [Grace Paley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-paley/) > [...we still feel that color is hard on the eyes for so long a picture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-nugent/we-still-feel-that-color-is-hard-on-the-eyes-for-so-long-a-picture/) [Frank Nugent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-nugent/) [Browse all 9 Hard Eyes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-eyes-1253266/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Cold eyelids that hide like a jewel Hard eyes that grow soft for an hour; The heavy white limbs, and the cruel Red mouth like a venomous flower; When these have gone by with their glories, What shall rest of thee then, what remain, O mystic and somber Delores, Our Lady of Pain?”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Algernon Charles Swinburne" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-charles-swinburne/cold-eyelids-that-hide-like-a-jewel-hard-eyes-that-grow-soft-for-an/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Hard Eyes" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-charles-swinburne/cold-eyelids-that-hide-like-a-jewel-hard-eyes-that-grow-soft-for-an/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/773/algernon-charles-swinburne-291_quote_cold-eyelids-that-hide-like-a-jewel-hard_1534494.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/773/algernon-charles-swinburne-291_quote_cold-eyelids-that-hide-like-a-jewel-hard_1534494.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/773/algernon-charles-swinburne-291_quote_cold-eyelids-that-hide-like-a-jewel-hard_1534494.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Cold eyelids that hide like a jewel Hard eyes that grow soft for an hour; The heavy white limbs, and the…” — Algernon Charles Swinburne", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Algernon Charles Swinburne", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/algernon-charles-swinburne/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Cold eyelids that hide like a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-charles-swinburne/cold-eyelids-that-hide-like-a-jewel-hard-eyes-that-grow-soft-for-an/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/algernon-charles-swinburne/cold-eyelids-that-hide-like-a-jewel-hard-eyes-that-grow-soft-for-an/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```