Bird Quote by Angela Carter
“His touch both consoles and devastates me; I feel my heart pulse, then wither, naked as a stone on the roaring mattress while the lovely, moony night slides through the window to dapple the flanks of this innocent who makes cages to keep the sweet birds in. Eat me, drink me; thirsty, cankered, goblin-ridden, I go back and back to him to have his fingers strip the tattered skin away and clothe me in his dress of water, this garment that drenches me, its slithering odour, its capacity for drowning.”
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Bloody Chamber, Angela Carter, 1979
A lover’s intense, paradoxical intimacy is described as both soothing and destructive, blending sensuality with vulnerability.
In simple terms: Intense love can be both comforting and painful.
Key Takeaway
Embrace love’s complexity, but protect yourself.
Themes
love
vulnerability
desire
pain
transformation
Mood
intense
conflicted
Type
poetic
psychological
When to use this quote
- intimate relationships
- creative writing
- self‑reflection
Key Concepts
romanticism
psychological intensity
bodily metaphor
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you balance intimacy with self‑preservation?
- What boundaries protect you in passionate relationships?
A Different Perspective
Love can overwhelm personal boundaries and lead to loss of self.
