--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you are still alive when you read…" description: "\"If you are still alive when you read this, close your eyes. I am under their lids, growing black.\" — Bill Knott" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e87/bill-knott-83335_alive_if-you-are-still-alive-when-you-read-thi_2196373.png" --- # If you are still alive when you read this, close your… ![“If you are still alive when you read this, close your eyes. I am under their lids, growing black.” quote by Bill Knott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e87/bill-knott-83335_alive_if-you-are-still-alive-when-you-read-thi_2196373.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e87/bill-knott-83335_alive_if-you-are-still-alive-when-you-read-thi_2196373.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e87/bill-knott-83335_alive_if-you-are-still-alive-when-you-read-thi_2196373.png) > “If you are still alive when you read this, close your eyes. I am under their lids, growing black.” Bill Knott ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A haunting invitation to close your eyes, implying a hidden, perhaps sinister presence beneath the lids. **In simple terms:** Close your eyes to encounter a dark, unseen force. Key Takeaway Consider what you ignore in daily life. Themes death the unknown introspection Mood eerie thought‑provoking Type literary poetic When to use this quote - meditation on mortality - writing horror fiction Key Concepts existential dread psychological horror Questions to Reflect On - What does “under their lids” symbolize for you? - Do you fear what lies beyond perception? A Different Perspective May be too abstract for some readers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) ## Related quotes > [Am still alive to read your reply…<3](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/priya/am-still-alive-to-read-your-reply-3/) [Priya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/priya/) > [Oh, how I wish that Orwell were still alive, so that I could read his comments on contemporary events!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/oh-how-i-wish-that-orwell-were-still-alive-so-that-i-could-read-his/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [Growing up black, you are lied to and told to act in a way that isn't who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-morgan/growing-up-black-you-are-lied-to-and-told-to-act-in-a-way-that-isn-t/) [Rob Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-morgan/) > [I was a big fan of hardcore music growing up, black metal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleister-black/i-was-a-big-fan-of-hardcore-music-growing-up-black-metal/) Aleister Black > [Growing up black in America, and with Southern roots in my family, I was informed in my own life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-morgan/growing-up-black-in-america-and-with-southern-roots-in-my-family-i/) [Rob Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-morgan/) > [Growing up, a black face on TV was really rare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ainsley-harriott/growing-up-a-black-face-on-tv-was-really-rare/) [Ainsley Harriott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ainsley-harriott/) > [Close your eyes little girl. your a princess now, you own this world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flyleaf/close-your-eyes-little-girl-your-a-princess-now-you-own-this-world/) [Flyleaf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flyleaf/) > [Staring at the bottom of your glass Hoping one day you'll make a dream last But dreams come slow and they go so fast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/passenger/staring-at-the-bottom-of-your-glass-hoping-one-day-you-ll-make-a/) [Passenger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/passenger/) > [“Close your eyes. Remember what we talked about that night after your concert? Living is hard. It was hard when you were thirteen, it’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cora-carmack/close-your-eyes-remember-what-we-talked-about-that-night-after-your/) [Cora Carmack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cora-carmack/) > [“When you're scared, when you close your eyes ... just know there is nothing left to fear!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-richards/when-you-re-scared-when-you-close-your-eyes-just-know-there-is/) [Stephen Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-richards/) > [No matter what you do I'll be there for you And every time you close your eyes I will be by your side 'Cause…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/proudlesbian/no-matter-what-you-do-i-ll-be-there-for-you-and-every-time-you-close/) ProudLesbian > [I can't be with you today, but if you close your eyes and think; I'll be beside you in the kitchen wearing your shirt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharlene05/i-can-t-be-with-you-today-but-if-you-close-your-eyes-and-think-i-ll/) Sharlene05 > [Just close your eyes, the sun is going down, you'll be alright, no one can hurt you now, come morning light, you and I'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-swift/just-close-your-eyes-the-sun-is-going-down-you-ll-be-alright-no-one/) [Taylor Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-swift/) > [Sit down, hold your back up, close your eyes and think about nothing' - that's not on the table for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-povitsky/sit-down-hold-your-back-up-close-your-eyes-and-think-about-nothing/) [Esther Povitsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-povitsky/) > [At the end of night, before you close your eyes, be content with what you've done and be proud of who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-almond/at-the-end-of-night-before-you-close-your-eyes-be-content-with-what/) [Steve Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-almond/) ## More by Bill Knott > [“From heart to heart a heartbeat staggers, looking for a haven. Bereft. It is easier to enter heaven than to pass through each others'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-knott/from-heart-to-heart-a-heartbeat-staggers-looking-for-a-haven-bereft/) Bill Knott > [And upsidedown in the earth a dead man walks upon my soles when I walk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-knott/and-upsidedown-in-the-earth-a-dead-man-walks-upon-my-soles-when-i-walk/) Bill Knott Explore all 3 Bill Knott quotes ## More Alive quotes > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I feel very grateful to be alive and well enough to make music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ant/i-feel-very-grateful-to-be-alive-and-well-enough-to-make-music/) Adam Ant > [I don't crave applause. I'm not one of those guys who comes alive on stage. I'm much more alive at home, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-don-t-crave-applause-i-m-not-one-of-those-guys-who-comes-alive-on/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [We must master our egoism, and through this mastery, step outside ourselves and educate ourselves in giving. Fasting requires that we rediscover all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/we-must-master-our-egoism-and-through-this-mastery-step-outside/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [I can't say that there are 'things' that make me come alive. There are thoughts that make me come alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/i-can-t-say-that-there-are-things-that-make-me-come-alive-there-are/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [We're like the wicked witch. We promise gingerbread, then eat the little brats alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/we-re-like-the-wicked-witch-we-promise-gingerbread-then-eat-the/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [If Jovan Belcher didn't possess a gun, he and Kasandra Perkins would both be alive today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-costas/if-jovan-belcher-didn-t-possess-a-gun-he-and-kasandra-perkins-would/) [Bob Costas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-costas/) > [Peace is an ongoing process. It begins with the first step and it does not end. We, all of us alive today, are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-krieger/peace-is-an-ongoing-process-it-begins-with-the-first-step-and-it-does/) [David Krieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-krieger/) > [I think adoption becomes complicated whenever the biological parents are alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-haven/i-think-adoption-becomes-complicated-whenever-the-biological-parents/) [James Haven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-haven/) > [The pain of love is the pain of being alive. It is a perpetual wound.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-duffy/the-pain-of-love-is-the-pain-of-being-alive-it-is-a-perpetual-wound/) [Maureen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-duffy/) > [I have tried to resign myself, and to console myself; and that, I hope, I may have done imperfectly; but what I cannot firmly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-have-tried-to-resign-myself-and-to-console-myself-and-that-i-hope-i/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [If Melanchthon were alive today, he might not weep because of controversies that surround the Lord's Supper, but he might well sorrow because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-w-lutzer/if-melanchthon-were-alive-today-he-might-not-weep-because-of/) [Erwin W. Lutzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-w-lutzer/) > [If you’re alive, don’t move, if you’re dead, don’t worry about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/if-you-re-alive-don-t-move-if-you-re-dead-don-t-worry-about-it/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [Here Greek and Roman find themselves alive along these crowded shelves; and Shakespeare treads again his stage, and Chaucer paints anew his age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-greenleaf-whittier/here-greek-and-roman-find-themselves-alive-along-these-crowded/) [John Greenleaf Whittier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-greenleaf-whittier/) > [You're alive!" Fezzik cried. The man in black sat immobile, like a ventriloquist's dummy, just his mouth moving. "That is perhaps the most childishly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-goldman/you-re-alive-fezzik-cried-the-man-in-black-sat-immobile-like-a/) [William Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-goldman/) [Browse all 7,282 Alive quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you are still alive when you read this, close your eyes. 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