--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It seems only yesterday I used to believe…" description: "\"“It seems only yesterday I used to believe there was nothing under my skin but light. If you cut me I could shine. But now when I fall upon the sidewal..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f21/billy-collins-3004_favorite_it-seems-only-yesterday-i-used-to-believ_1861442.jpg" --- # It seems only yesterday I used to believe there was… ![“It seems only yesterday I used to believe there was nothing under my skin but light. If you cut me I could shine. But now when I fall upon the sidewalks of life, I skin my knees. I bleed.” quote by Billy Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f21/billy-collins-3004_favorite_it-seems-only-yesterday-i-used-to-believ_1861442.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f21/billy-collins-3004_favorite_it-seems-only-yesterday-i-used-to-believ_1861442.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f21/billy-collins-3004_favorite_it-seems-only-yesterday-i-used-to-believ_1861442.jpg) > ““It seems only yesterday I used to believe there was nothing under my skin but light. If you cut me I could shine. But now when I fall upon the sidewalks of life, I skin my knees. I bleed.”” [Billy Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-collins/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Early optimism fades as life’s hardships reveal vulnerability and pain. **In simple terms:** We once thought we were invulnerable. Key Takeaway Accept and heal from wounds. Themes vulnerability human fragility growth Mood melancholic reflective Type poetic philosophical When to use this quote - personal loss - healing journeys - creative writing - mental health counseling Key Concepts existentialism poetic metaphor Questions to Reflect On - What does “light” symbolize for you? - How do you cope with unexpected pain? A Different Perspective Denial can delay necessary self‑care. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Growing up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing-up/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [Yesterday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/yesterday/) ## Related quotes > [“It seems only yesterday that I used to believe there was nothing under my skin but light. If you cut me I would shine.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-collins/it-seems-only-yesterday-that-i-used-to-believe-there-was-nothing/) [Billy Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-collins/) > [“It seems only yesterday I used to believe There was nothing under my skin but light. If you cut me I would shine. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelia-funke/it-seems-only-yesterday-i-used-to-believe-there-was-nothing-under-my-3/) [Cornelia Funke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelia-funke/) > [It seems only yesterday I used to believe there was nothing under my skin but light. If you cut me I could shine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-collins/it-seems-only-yesterday-i-used-to-believe-there-was-nothing-under-my/) [Billy Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-collins/) > [We have scarcely gotten home ... when our children's sneezes greet us, skinned knees bleed after waiting all day to do so. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-gass/we-have-scarcely-gotten-home-when-our-children-s-sneezes-greet-us/) [William H. Gass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-gass/) > [“I realized these were all the snapshots which our children would look at someday with wonder, thinking their parents had lived smooth, well-ordered, stabilized-within-the-photo…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/i-realized-these-were-all-the-snapshots-which-our-children-would-look/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [“Between skin and skin there is only light. And there was my poetry.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fowles/between-skin-and-skin-there-is-only-light-and-there-was-my-poetry/) [John Fowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fowles/) > [“We are stars wrapped in skin. The light you are seeking has always been within.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-are-stars-wrapped-in-skin-the-light-you-are-seeking-has-always/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“When we first came here We were cold and we were clear with no colours on our skin We were light and paper thin.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-and-the-machine/when-we-first-came-here-we-were-cold-and-we-were-clear-with-no/) [Florence And The Machine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-and-the-machine/) > [Between skin and skin, there is only light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-fowles/between-skin-and-skin-there-is-only-light/) [John Fowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-fowles/) > [“Beyond the mask she is witness to his glorious soul. Exposed to the elements, she warms her skin in his light and essence of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truth-devour/beyond-the-mask-she-is-witness-to-his-glorious-soul-exposed-to-the/) Truth Devour > [It takes practice to shave the skin off the light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-carson/it-takes-practice-to-shave-the-skin-off-the-light/) [Anne Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-carson/) > [My favorite job is the next one. Its such a gratifying experience getting to creatively keep trying something new and push things in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-craig-smith/my-favorite-job-is-the-next-one-its-such-a-gratifying-experience/) [Roger Craig Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-craig-smith/) > [Lunch was my favorite part at school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-lavine/lunch-was-my-favorite-part-at-school/) [Zach LaVine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-lavine/) > [Orange is my favorite color overall.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-earnhardt-jr/orange-is-my-favorite-color-overall/) [Dale Earnhardt Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-earnhardt-jr/) > [My favorite galaxy of all is called the Sombrero, NGC 4594. It's an amazing galaxy that is really two galaxies in one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-faber/my-favorite-galaxy-of-all-is-called-the-sombrero-ngc-4594-it-s-an/) [Sandra Faber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-faber/) ## More by Billy Collins > [“The whole idea of it makes me feel Like I’m coming down with something, Something worse than any stomach ache Or the headaches I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-collins/the-whole-idea-of-it-makes-me-feel-like-i-m-coming-down-with/) [Billy Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-collins/) > [I think clarity is the real risk in poetry because you are exposed. You're out in the open field. You're actually saying things that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-collins/i-think-clarity-is-the-real-risk-in-poetry-because-you-are-exposed/) [Billy Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-collins/) > [...pleasure, of course, is a slippery word… Our pleasures ultimately belong to us, not to the pleasure's so](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-collins/pleasure-of-course-is-a-slippery-word-our-pleasures-ultimately-belong/) [Billy Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-collins/) > [I stared up at the ebbing quarter moon and the stars scattered like a handful of salt across the faraway sky...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-collins/i-stared-up-at-the-ebbing-quarter-moon-and-the-stars-scattered-like-a/) [Billy Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-collins/) > [Death is what makes life fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-collins/death-is-what-makes-life-fun/) [Billy Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-collins/) > [A trouble with poetry is the presence of presumptuousness in poetry, the sense you get in a poem that the poet takes for granted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-collins/a-trouble-with-poetry-is-the-presence-of-presumptuousness-in-poetry/) [Billy Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-collins/) > [You come by your style by learning what to leave out. At first you tend to overwrite—embellishment instead of insight. You either continue to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-collins/you-come-by-your-style-by-learning-what-to-leave-out-at-first-you/) [Billy Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-collins/) > [But my heart is always propped up in a field on its tripod, ready for the next arrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-collins/but-my-heart-is-always-propped-up-in-a-field-on-its-tripod-ready-for/) [Billy Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-collins/) > [I can hear the library humming in the night, a choir of authors murmuring inside their books along the unlit, alphabetical shelves, Giovanni Pontano…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-collins/i-can-hear-the-library-humming-in-the-night-a-choir-of-authors/) [Billy Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-collins/) > [Every Day Is for the Thief is a vivid, episodic evocation of the truism that you can't go home again; but that doesn't mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-collins/every-day-is-for-the-thief-is-a-vivid-episodic-evocation-of-the/) [Billy Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-collins/) > [Humor, for me, is really a gate of departure. Its a way of enticing a reader into a poem so that less funny things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-collins/humor-for-me-is-really-a-gate-of-departure-its-a-way-of-enticing-a/) [Billy Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-collins/) > [You know how sometimes you just have a memory of looking up and seeing a face looking over your crib and then remember nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-collins/you-know-how-sometimes-you-just-have-a-memory-of-looking-up-and/) [Billy Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-collins/) > [Usually the poems are written in one sitting. There's always a groping towards some satisfying ending. But I'd say the hardest part is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-collins/usually-the-poems-are-written-in-one-sitting-there-s-always-a-groping/) [Billy Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-collins/) > [I was influenced by the Beats because I actually just began to commit adolescence around 1955, when "Howl" and Rebel Without a Cause and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-collins/i-was-influenced-by-the-beats-because-i-actually-just-began-to-commit/) [Billy Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-collins/) > [Some difficulty is warranted and other difficulty I think is gratuitous. And I think I can tell the difference. There are certainly very difficult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-collins/some-difficulty-is-warranted-and-other-difficulty-i-think-is/) [Billy Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-collins/) [Explore all 141 Billy Collins quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-collins/) ## More Favorite quotes > [My favorite galaxy of all is called the Sombrero, NGC 4594. It's an amazing galaxy that is really two galaxies in one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-faber/my-favorite-galaxy-of-all-is-called-the-sombrero-ngc-4594-it-s-an/) [Sandra Faber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-faber/) > [My favorite job is the next one. Its such a gratifying experience getting to creatively keep trying something new and push things in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-craig-smith/my-favorite-job-is-the-next-one-its-such-a-gratifying-experience/) [Roger Craig Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-craig-smith/) > [Orange is my favorite color overall.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-earnhardt-jr/orange-is-my-favorite-color-overall/) [Dale Earnhardt Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-earnhardt-jr/) > [Lunch was my favorite part at school.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-lavine/lunch-was-my-favorite-part-at-school/) [Zach LaVine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-lavine/) > [My favorite event of the season is the Costume Institute Gala at the Met in May. To that I'll wear custom Vera Wang.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-winston-wolkoff/my-favorite-event-of-the-season-is-the-costume-institute-gala-at-the/) [Stephanie Winston Wolkoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-winston-wolkoff/) > [Gold is my favorite color.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jalen-ramsey/gold-is-my-favorite-color/) [Jalen Ramsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jalen-ramsey/) > [Harrison Ford has always been one of my favorite actors. I grew up with Han Solo and Indiana Jones, and 'Regarding Henry' is one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nolan-north/harrison-ford-has-always-been-one-of-my-favorite-actors-i-grew-up/) [Nolan North](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nolan-north/) > [I'm big on tomato mozzarella salad. That's my favorite all-time food.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-fields/i-m-big-on-tomato-mozzarella-salad-that-s-my-favorite-all-time-food/) [Jan Fields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-fields/) > [It's kind of hard to spend long hours trying to help people and then find out that the favorite game of the columnist is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-scott/it-s-kind-of-hard-to-spend-long-hours-trying-to-help-people-and-then/) [Bill Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-scott/) > [As far as vintage Champagne goes, I loved 1990; it's a great, great vintage. I bought a lot of 1990 Blanc de Blancs Champagne…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-m-parker-jr/as-far-as-vintage-champagne-goes-i-loved-1990-it-s-a-great-great/) [Robert M. Parker, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-m-parker-jr/) > [I'm a huge fan of 'Eastbound & Down.' It's one of my favorite shows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ike-barinholtz/i-m-a-huge-fan-of-eastbound-down-it-s-one-of-my-favorite-shows/) [Ike Barinholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ike-barinholtz/) > [I like to watch the Fox News Network. I like 'Nightline.' I like to watch 'The Sopranos,' of course. That is one of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-estrada/i-like-to-watch-the-fox-news-network-i-like-nightline-i-like-to-watch/) [Erik Estrada](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-estrada/) > [My favorite foods are anything Italian.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ainsley-earhardt/my-favorite-foods-are-anything-italian/) [Ainsley Earhardt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ainsley-earhardt/) > [My favorite moment of the whole thing was when John Belushi suggested that I get a hold of all the blues records I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-cropper/my-favorite-moment-of-the-whole-thing-was-when-john-belushi-suggested/) [Steve Cropper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-cropper/) > [One of my favorite comedies is 'Shaun of the Dead.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kumail-nanjiani/one-of-my-favorite-comedies-is-shaun-of-the-dead/) [Kumail Nanjiani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kumail-nanjiani/) Browse all 1,856 Favorite quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It seems only yesterday I used to believe there was nothing under my skin but light. If you cut me I could shine. But now when I fall upon the sidewalks of life, I skin my knees. I bleed.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Billy Collins" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-collins/it-seems-only-yesterday-i-used-to-believe-there-was-nothing-under-my-2/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Favorite" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-collins/it-seems-only-yesterday-i-used-to-believe-there-was-nothing-under-my-2/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f21/billy-collins-3004_favorite_it-seems-only-yesterday-i-used-to-believ_1861442.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f21/billy-collins-3004_favorite_it-seems-only-yesterday-i-used-to-believ_1861442.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f21/billy-collins-3004_favorite_it-seems-only-yesterday-i-used-to-believ_1861442.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It seems only yesterday I used to believe there was nothing under my skin but light. If you cut me I could…” — Billy Collins", "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": "Billy Collins", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-collins/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“It seems only yesterday I used...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-collins/it-seems-only-yesterday-i-used-to-believe-there-was-nothing-under-my-2/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-collins/it-seems-only-yesterday-i-used-to-believe-there-was-nothing-under-my-2/#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 } } ] } ```