Bad people Quote by Antonio Machado
““I Have Walked Down Many Roads by Antonio Machado translated from the Spanish by Don Share I have walked down many roads and cleared many paths; I have navigated a hundred oceans and anchored off a hundred shores. All over, I have seen caravans of sadness, pompous and melancholy men drunk with black shadows, and defrocked pedants who stare, keep quiet, and think they know, because they don’t drink wine in the neighborhood bars. Bad people who go around polluting the earth . . . And all over, I have seen people who dance or play, when they can, and work their four handfuls of land. If they turn up someplace, they never ask where they are. When they travel, they ride on the backs of old mules, and don’t know how to hurry, not even on holidays. When there’s wine, they drink wine; when there’s no wine, they drink cool water. These are good people, who live, work, get by, and dream; and on a day like all the others they lie down under the earth.””
About This Quote
Source Poem: “I Have Walked Down Many Roads”, translated by Don Share, original 1930s
The poet reflects on varied experiences, observing both hardship and simple joys of ordinary people
In simple terms: Life is a mix of hardship and simple pleasures
Key Takeaway
Notice and appreciate everyday moments
Themes
life
journey
human condition
Mood
melancholic
contemplative
Type
literary
reflective
When to use this quote
- travel writing
- literary analysis
- personal growth
Key Concepts
existential reflection
social observation
Questions to Reflect On
- What does the poet’s observation say about resilience?
- How do simple joys sustain people in hard times?
A Different Perspective
Romanticizing hardship can overlook systemic issues
