--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Say that the berries on a tree fermented…" description: "\"“Say that the berries on a tree fermented / say that some birds ate them got drunk demented / couldn't fly straight flew straight into instead / wall o..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fce/ali-smith-1801_quote_say-that-the-berries-on-a-tree-fermented_954097.jpg" --- # Say that the berries on a tree fermented / say that some… ![“Say that the berries on a tree fermented / say that some birds ate them got drunk demented / couldn't fly straight flew straight into instead / wall of an office block and fell down dead / down on the pavement people undeterred / stepping over the mound of broken bird” quote by Ali Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fce/ali-smith-1801_quote_say-that-the-berries-on-a-tree-fermented_954097.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fce/ali-smith-1801_quote_say-that-the-berries-on-a-tree-fermented_954097.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fce/ali-smith-1801_quote_say-that-the-berries-on-a-tree-fermented_954097.jpg) > ““Say that the berries on a tree fermented / say that some birds ate them got drunk demented / couldn't fly straight flew straight into instead / wall of an office block and fell down dead / down on the pavement people undeterred / stepping over the mound of broken bird”” [Ali Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The poem juxtaposes natural decay with human indifference, using broken birds as a metaphor for ignored suffering and societal neglect. **In simple terms:** People ignore broken things and keep moving. Key Takeaway Notice and care for the overlooked. Themes neglect decay indifference nature Mood somber urgent Type poetic social commentary When to use this quote - city life - environmental crisis - personal apathy Key Concepts symbolism urban critique empathy Questions to Reflect On - What broken things do you overlook? - How can you respond to unnoticed pain? A Different Perspective The metaphor may be too abstract for some readers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Birds Ate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/birds-ate-1611279/) [Drunk Demented](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drunk-demented-1720051/) [Fermented Say](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fermented-say-1720052/) [Say Berries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/say-berries-1720050/) [Say Birds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/say-birds-794437/) ## Related quotes > [“We're ankle deep in blood, and all because we ate the birds, we ate them a long time ago, when we still had the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/we-re-ankle-deep-in-blood-and-all-because-we-ate-the-birds-we-ate/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [“We ate the birds. We ate them. 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