--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Desolate--Life is so dreary and…" description: "\"Desolate--Life is so dreary and desolate-- Women and men in the crowd meet and mingle, Yet with itself every soul standeth single, Deep out of sympathy..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be7/alice-cary-23060_conflict_desolate-life-is-so-dreary-and-desolate_2412005.jpg" --- # Desolate--Life is so dreary and desolate-- Women and men… ![“Desolate--Life is so dreary and desolate-- Women and men in the crowd meet and mingle, Yet with itself every soul standeth single, Deep out of sympathy moaning its moan-- Holding and having its brief exultation-- Making its lonesome and low lamentation-- Fighting its terrible conflicts alone.” quote by Alice Cary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be7/alice-cary-23060_conflict_desolate-life-is-so-dreary-and-desolate_2412005.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be7/alice-cary-23060_conflict_desolate-life-is-so-dreary-and-desolate_2412005.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be7/alice-cary-23060_conflict_desolate-life-is-so-dreary-and-desolate_2412005.jpg) > “Desolate--Life is so dreary and desolate-- Women and men in the crowd meet and mingle, Yet with itself every soul standeth single, Deep out of sympathy moaning its moan-- Holding and having its brief exultation-- Making its lonesome and low lamentation-- Fighting its terrible conflicts alone.” [Alice Cary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-cary/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life feels isolated despite crowds; each soul experiences loneliness and inner conflict alone. **In simple terms:** Even in crowds, we feel alone. Key Takeaway Recognize and address personal isolation. Themes loneliness existential solitude Mood melancholic reflective Type poetic literary When to use this quote - social gatherings - personal reflection - mental health - creative writing Key Concepts human condition inner conflict Questions to Reflect On - How do you find authentic connection in crowds? - What inner conflicts need acknowledgment? A Different Perspective Isolation can be mitigated through genuine connection. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Conflict](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conflict/) [Desolation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desolation/) [Lamentation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lamentation/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Men and women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-and-women/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) ## Related quotes > [What makes life dreary is the want of a motive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/what-makes-life-dreary-is-the-want-of-a-motive/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [Life would be very dreary if there were no magic. If the real world were only that veil of tears, I just don't think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-moran/life-would-be-very-dreary-if-there-were-no-magic-if-the-real-world/) [Victoria Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-moran/) > [“Life is a dreary continuum made bearable by those moments of excitement. It's called feeling alive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-monroe/life-is-a-dreary-continuum-made-bearable-by-those-moments-of/) [Lee Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-monroe/) > [Looking at your life as a debt may seem the dreariest view of things at a distance; but it cannot really be so. What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/looking-at-your-life-as-a-debt-may-seem-the-dreariest-view-of-things/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [ I drink out of desperation. Life is too dreary to endure. The misery, loneliness, crampedness - they're heartbreaking.\[...\] What feelings do you suppose a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osamu-dazai/i-drink-out-of-desperation-life-is-too-dreary-to-endure-the-misery/) [Osamu Dazai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osamu-dazai/) > [No life can be dreary when work is delight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-ridley-havergal/no-life-can-be-dreary-when-work-is-delight/) [Frances Ridley Havergal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-ridley-havergal/) > [Jerusalem is a festival and a lamentation. Its song is a sigh across the ages, a delicate, robust, mournful psalm at the great junction…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-k-shipler/jerusalem-is-a-festival-and-a-lamentation-its-song-is-a-sigh-across/) [David K. Shipler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-k-shipler/) > [“When situated in the transcendental position, one is freed from the two kinds of material diseases – hankering and lamentation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-situated-in-the-transcendental-position-one-is-freed-from-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Great were the lamentation and the cry when the news of this mischance was noised about the city. Such a tumult of mourning was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-de-france/great-were-the-lamentation-and-the-cry-when-the-news-of-this/) [Marie de France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-de-france/) > [It's a great wonder to me, the Irish attachment to our history. What is it but a series of lamentations?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-salisbury-davis/it-s-a-great-wonder-to-me-the-irish-attachment-to-our-history-what-is/) [Dorothy Salisbury Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-salisbury-davis/) > [Every class of society has its cant of lamentation, which is understood or regarded by none but themselves; and every part of life has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/every-class-of-society-has-its-cant-of-lamentation-which-is/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Let no one honour me with tears, or bury me with lamentation. Why? Because I fly hither and thither, living in the mouths of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quintus-ennius/let-no-one-honour-me-with-tears-or-bury-me-with-lamentation-why/) [Quintus Ennius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quintus-ennius/) > [Men ought to know that from nothing else but the brain come joys, delights, laughter and sports, and sorrows, griefs, despondency, and lamentations. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hippocrates/men-ought-to-know-that-from-nothing-else-but-the-brain-come-joys/) [Hippocrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hippocrates/) > [Alexander wept when he heard from Anaxarchus that there was an infinite number of worlds; and his friends asking him if any accident had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/alexander-wept-when-he-heard-from-anaxarchus-that-there-was-an/) [Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/) > [Time is never more misspent than while we declaim against the want of it; all our actions are then tinctured with peevishness. The yoke…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-georg-ritter-von-zimmermann/time-is-never-more-misspent-than-while-we-declaim-against-the-want-of/) [Johann Georg Ritter von Zimmermann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-georg-ritter-von-zimmermann/) ## More by Alice Cary > [There must be room for penitence to mend Life's broken chance; else noise of wars would unmake heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-cary/there-must-be-room-for-penitence-to-mend-life-s-broken-chance-else/) [Alice Cary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-cary/) > [My soul is full of whispered song,-My blindness is my sight;The shadows that I feared so longAre full of life and light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-cary/my-soul-is-full-of-whispered-song-my-blindness-is-my-sight-the/) [Alice Cary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-cary/) > [True worth is in being, not seeming- In doing, each day that goes by, Some little good, not in the dreaming Of great things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-cary/true-worth-is-in-being-not-seeming-in-doing-each-day-that-goes-by/) [Alice Cary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-cary/) > [I hold that a man had better be dead than alive when his work is done.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-cary/i-hold-that-a-man-had-better-be-dead-than-alive-when-his-work-is-done/) [Alice Cary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-cary/) > [The attempt is all the wedge that splits its knotty way betwixt the impossible and possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-cary/the-attempt-is-all-the-wedge-that-splits-its-knotty-way-betwixt-the/) [Alice Cary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-cary/) > [True worth is in being, not seeming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-cary/true-worth-is-in-being-not-seeming/) [Alice Cary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-cary/) > [Every life is meant to help all lives; each man should live for all men's betterment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-cary/every-life-is-meant-to-help-all-lives-each-man-should-live-for-all/) [Alice Cary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-cary/) > [I hold that Christian grace abounds Where charity is seen; that when We climb to heaven, 'tis on the rounds Of love to men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-cary/i-hold-that-christian-grace-abounds-where-charity-is-seen-that-when/) [Alice Cary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-cary/) > [Women and men in the crowd meet and mingle, Yet with itself every soul standeth single.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-cary/women-and-men-in-the-crowd-meet-and-mingle-yet-with-itself-every-soul/) [Alice Cary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-cary/) > [Nothing in this low and ruined world bears the meek impress of the Son of God so surely as forgiveness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-cary/nothing-in-this-low-and-ruined-world-bears-the-meek-impress-of-the/) [Alice Cary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-cary/) > [I sit where the leaves of the maple and the gnarled and knotted gum are circling and drifting around me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-cary/i-sit-where-the-leaves-of-the-maple-and-the-gnarled-and-knotted-gum/) [Alice Cary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-cary/) > [For he who is honest is noble, Whatever his fortunes or birth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-cary/for-he-who-is-honest-is-noble-whatever-his-fortunes-or-birth/) [Alice Cary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-cary/) > [Even for the dead I will not bind my soul to grief, death cannot long divide; for is it not as if the rose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-cary/even-for-the-dead-i-will-not-bind-my-soul-to-grief-death-cannot-long/) [Alice Cary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-cary/) > [We cannot make bargains for blisses, / Nor catch them like fishes in nets; / And sometimes the thing our life misses, / Helps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-cary/we-cannot-make-bargains-for-blisses-nor-catch-them-like-fishes-in/) [Alice Cary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-cary/) > [He who loves best his fellow-man, is loving God the holiest way he can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-cary/he-who-loves-best-his-fellow-man-is-loving-god-the-holiest-way-he-can/) [Alice Cary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-cary/) [Explore all 26 Alice Cary quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-cary/) ## More Conflict quotes > [The history of mankind interests us only as it exhibits a steady gain of truth and right, in the incessant conflict which it records…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-history-of-mankind-interests-us-only-as-it-exhibits-a-steady-gain/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [The U.S.-Mexican border es un herida abierta where the Third World grates against the first and bleeds. And before a scab forms it hemorrhages…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-e-anzald-a/the-u-s-mexican-border-es-un-herida-abierta-where-the-third-world/) [Gloria E. Anzaldúa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-e-anzald-a/) > [There is a conflict in the Middle East between two entities, and they're both right, each in their own way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reuven-rivlin/there-is-a-conflict-in-the-middle-east-between-two-entities-and-they/) [Reuven Rivlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reuven-rivlin/) > [Conflict isn't negative, it just is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-crum/conflict-isn-t-negative-it-just-is/) [Thomas Crum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-crum/) > [I have lived in countries that were coming out of conflict: Ireland, South Africa, the Czech republic. People there are overflowing with energy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/i-have-lived-in-countries-that-were-coming-out-of-conflict-ireland/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) > [Africa, being the major target of colonial plunder, therefore becomes a major source of conflict.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-horne/africa-being-the-major-target-of-colonial-plunder-therefore-becomes-a/) [Gerald Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-horne/) > [All drama is conflict. Without conflict, there is no action. Without action, there is no character. Without character, there is no story. And without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syd-field/all-drama-is-conflict-without-conflict-there-is-no-action-without/) [Syd Field](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syd-field/) > [The irrepressible conflict propounded by abolitionism has produced now its legitimate fruits - disunion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-irrepressible-conflict-propounded-by-abolitionism-has-produced/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“These are all good things, I said. But no one knows where your country is or who you are. You don't have a familiar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-shteyngart/these-are-all-good-things-i-said-but-no-one-knows-where-your-country/) [Gary Shteyngart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-shteyngart/) > [I understand the formula that producers hire directors and directors are hired to direct and actors are hired to act. I don't have any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-trejo/i-understand-the-formula-that-producers-hire-directors-and-directors/) [Danny Trejo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-trejo/) > [“While there is battle and hatred men have eyes for nothing save the fact that the enemy is the cause of all the troubles;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-butterfield/while-there-is-battle-and-hatred-men-have-eyes-for-nothing-save-the/) [Herbert Butterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-butterfield/) > [UN peacekeeping operations are now increasingly complex and multi-dimensional, going beyond monitoring a ceasefire to actually bringing failed States back to life, often after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kofi-annan/un-peacekeeping-operations-are-now-increasingly-complex-and-multi/) [Kofi Annan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kofi-annan/) > [All men have an instinct for conflict: at least, all healthy men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilaire-belloc/all-men-have-an-instinct-for-conflict-at-least-all-healthy-men/) [Hilaire Belloc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilaire-belloc/) > [I didnt like the Survivor shows because of the mean-spirited aspect, and women certainly were part of whatever conflict they would create.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-lawrence/i-didnt-like-the-survivor-shows-because-of-the-mean-spirited-aspect/) [Sharon Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-lawrence/) > [“How we traverse the space between us when conflict arises has a profound effect on the health and longevity of our relationships.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-salzberg/how-we-traverse-the-space-between-us-when-conflict-arises-has-a/) [Sharon Salzberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-salzberg/) [Browse all 3,969 Conflict quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conflict/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Desolate--Life is so dreary and desolate-- Women and men in the crowd meet and mingle, Yet with itself every soul standeth single, Deep out of sympathy moaning its moan-- Holding and having its brief exultation-- Making its lonesome and low lamentation-- Fighting its terrible conflicts alone.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alice Cary" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-cary/desolate-life-is-so-dreary-and-desolate-women-and-men-in-the-crowd/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Conflict" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-cary/desolate-life-is-so-dreary-and-desolate-women-and-men-in-the-crowd/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be7/alice-cary-23060_conflict_desolate-life-is-so-dreary-and-desolate_2412005.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be7/alice-cary-23060_conflict_desolate-life-is-so-dreary-and-desolate_2412005.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/be7/alice-cary-23060_conflict_desolate-life-is-so-dreary-and-desolate_2412005.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Desolate--Life is so dreary and desolate-- Women and men in the crowd meet and mingle, Yet with itself every…” — Alice Cary", "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": "Alice Cary", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-cary/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Desolate--Life is so dreary and desolate--...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-cary/desolate-life-is-so-dreary-and-desolate-women-and-men-in-the-crowd/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-cary/desolate-life-is-so-dreary-and-desolate-women-and-men-in-the-crowd/#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 } } ] } ```