--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The dead hold in their hands only what…" description: "\"The dead hold in their hands only what they have given away.\" — Carl Sandburg" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf0/carl-sandburg-952_dead_the-dead-hold-in-their-hands-only-what-t_937905.png" --- # The dead hold in their hands only what they have given away. ![“The dead hold in their hands only what they have given away.” quote by Carl Sandburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf0/carl-sandburg-952_dead_the-dead-hold-in-their-hands-only-what-t_937905.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf0/carl-sandburg-952_dead_the-dead-hold-in-their-hands-only-what-t_937905.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf0/carl-sandburg-952_dead_the-dead-hold-in-their-hands-only-what-t_937905.png) > “The dead hold in their hands only what they have given away.” [Carl Sandburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sandburg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. What we give to others is what we retain after death; generosity defines legacy. **In simple terms:** Giving defines what we keep after death. Key Takeaway Give generously. Themes generosity legacy selflessness Mood reflective thoughtful Type moral inspirational When to use this quote - family gatherings - charitable work - teaching - mentoring Key Concepts humanism altruism Questions to Reflect On - What have you given that defines you? - How does generosity shape your memory? A Different Perspective Giving alone may not guarantee remembrance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Generosity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generosity/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) ## Related quotes > [The dead carry with them to the grave in their clutched hands only that which they have given away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dewitt-wallace/the-dead-carry-with-them-to-the-grave-in-their-clutched-hands-only/) DeWitt Wallace > [When a man dies he clutches in his hands only that which he has given away during his lifetime.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-a-man-dies-he-clutches-in-his-hands-only-that-which-he-has-given/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Charity is to be measured, not by what one has given away, but by what one has left.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/charity-is-to-be-measured-not-by-what-one-has-given-away-but-by-what/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [Never have I fallen But I am quickly on my way You hold a heart in your hands That has never before been given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/never-have-i-fallen-but-i-am-quickly-on-my-way-you-hold-a-heart-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The dignity of man into your hands is given; Oh, keep it well, with you it sinks or lifts itself to heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-schiller/the-dignity-of-man-into-your-hands-is-given-oh-keep-it-well-with-you/) [Friedrich Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-schiller/) > [“we were all born to the same world but with much greater circumstance but with these two hands and what I have been given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-r-albers/we-were-all-born-to-the-same-world-but-with-much-greater-circumstance/) [K.R. Albers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-r-albers/) > [“The future is in your hands, she resumed. She held her own hands out to us, the ancient gesture that was both an offering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/the-future-is-in-your-hands-she-resumed-she-held-her-own-hands-out-to/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [I had glow in the dark bands made up and I've given away a ton of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/april-winchell/i-had-glow-in-the-dark-bands-made-up-and-i-ve-given-away-a-ton-of-them/) [April Winchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/april-winchell/) > [I've never missed anything I've given away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-hunt/i-ve-never-missed-anything-i-ve-given-away/) [Johnny Hunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-hunt/) > [Every time you have sex, you give away a little piece of your heart, and you give that away too many times and there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daren-kagasoff/every-time-you-have-sex-you-give-away-a-little-piece-of-your-heart/) [Daren Kagasoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daren-kagasoff/) > ['T is heaven alone that is given away; 'T is only God may be had for the asking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/t-is-heaven-alone-that-is-given-away-t-is-only-god-may-be-had-for-the/) [James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/) > [Nothing that you have not given away will ever be really yours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/nothing-that-you-have-not-given-away-will-ever-be-really-yours/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Smiles can never be borrowed or stolen. Also it is something that is worth nothing to anybody until it is given away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dignitygab/smiles-can-never-be-borrowed-or-stolen-also-it-is-something-that-is/) Dignitygab > [“The guilt applies only to those things that are being given away for free.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/the-guilt-applies-only-to-those-things-that-are-being-given-away-for/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [Love is never love until it is given away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-never-love-until-it-is-given-away/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Carl Sandburg > [Arithmetic is numbers you squeeze from your head to your hand to your pencil to your paper till you get the answer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sandburg/arithmetic-is-numbers-you-squeeze-from-your-head-to-your-hand-to-your/) [Carl Sandburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sandburg/) > [Gather the stars if you wish it so Gather the songs and keep them. Gather the faces of women. Gather for keeping years and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sandburg/gather-the-stars-if-you-wish-it-so-gather-the-songs-and-keep-them/) [Carl Sandburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sandburg/) > [Back of every mistaken venture and defeat is the laughter of wisdom, if you listen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sandburg/back-of-every-mistaken-venture-and-defeat-is-the-laughter-of-wisdom/) [Carl Sandburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sandburg/) > [Somebody's little girl- how easy it is to make a sob story over who she once was and who she now is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sandburg/somebody-s-little-girl-how-easy-it-is-to-make-a-sob-story-over-who/) [Carl Sandburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sandburg/) > [Let your heart look on white sea spray and be lonely. Love is a fool star. You and a ring of stars may mention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sandburg/let-your-heart-look-on-white-sea-spray-and-be-lonely-love-is-a-fool/) [Carl Sandburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sandburg/) > [Two bubbles found they had rainbows on their curves. They flickered out saying: "It was worth being a bubble, just to have held that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sandburg/two-bubbles-found-they-had-rainbows-on-their-curves-they-flickered/) [Carl Sandburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sandburg/) > [Poetry is a series of explanations of life, fading off into horizons too swift for explanations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sandburg/poetry-is-a-series-of-explanations-of-life-fading-off-into-horizons/) [Carl Sandburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sandburg/) > [There are ten men in me and I do not know or understand one of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sandburg/there-are-ten-men-in-me-and-i-do-not-know-or-understand-one-of-them/) [Carl Sandburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sandburg/) > [The drum in a dream pounds loud to the dreamer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sandburg/the-drum-in-a-dream-pounds-loud-to-the-dreamer/) [Carl Sandburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sandburg/) > [“Time is the most valuable coin in your life. You and you alone will determine how that coin will be spent. Be careful that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sandburg/time-is-the-most-valuable-coin-in-your-life-you-and-you-alone-will/) [Carl Sandburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sandburg/) > [Poetry is the opening and closing of a door, leaving those who look through to guess about what is seen during the moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sandburg/poetry-is-the-opening-and-closing-of-a-door-leaving-those-who-look/) [Carl Sandburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sandburg/) > [a women is like a tea bag.it's only when she is in hot water that you realize how strong she is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sandburg/a-women-is-like-a-tea-bag-it-s-only-when-she-is-in-hot-water-that-you/) [Carl Sandburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sandburg/) > [My name is Truth and I am the most elusive captive in the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sandburg/my-name-is-truth-and-i-am-the-most-elusive-captive-in-the-universe/) [Carl Sandburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sandburg/) > [I won't take my religion from any man who never works except with his mouth and never cherishes any memory except the face of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sandburg/i-won-t-take-my-religion-from-any-man-who-never-works-except-with-his/) [Carl Sandburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sandburg/) > [Rest is not a word of free people. Rest is a monarchical word.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sandburg/rest-is-not-a-word-of-free-people-rest-is-a-monarchical-word/) [Carl Sandburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sandburg/) [Explore all 320 Carl Sandburg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sandburg/) ## More Dead quotes > [I'm going to stay on stage until I drop dead. Then I'm going to have myself stuffed, like Trigger, and I'm going to put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-reynolds/i-m-going-to-stay-on-stage-until-i-drop-dead-then-i-m-going-to-have/) [Debbie Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-reynolds/) > [I can't be a legend yet. I'm not dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/i-can-t-be-a-legend-yet-i-m-not-dead/) [Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/) > [Okay, so I'll admit I'm curious. Big deal. We both know what that leads to. Dead cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/okay-so-i-ll-admit-i-m-curious-big-deal-we-both-know-what-that-leads/) [Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-phillips/) > [It's a really dark, emotionally wrenching world that we've created on 'The Walking Dead.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-holden/it-s-a-really-dark-emotionally-wrenching-world-that-we-ve-created-on/) [Laurie Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-holden/) > [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/) > [“I’m just–” She wanted to say “not in the mood,” but that was not only a cliché but a vast understatement. She was dead.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-mcintosh/i-m-just-she-wanted-to-say-not-in-the-mood-but-that-was-not-only-a/) [Will McIntosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-mcintosh/) > [Library: A place where the dead lie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/library-a-place-where-the-dead-lie/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [When we dead awaken ... we see that we have never lived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-ibsen/when-we-dead-awaken-we-see-that-we-have-never-lived/) [Henrik Ibsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-ibsen/) > [Rather be dead than cool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-cobain/rather-be-dead-than-cool/) [Kurt Cobain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-cobain/) > [He was obviously dead. But since he was a vampire that wasn't as hopless a thing as it might have been.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-briggs/he-was-obviously-dead-but-since-he-was-a-vampire-that-wasn-t-as/) [Patricia Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-briggs/) > [Ireland starts for me with the end of 'The Dead,' which my father read to me from his desk in his basement office in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-jeremiah-sullivan/ireland-starts-for-me-with-the-end-of-the-dead-which-my-father-read/) [John Jeremiah Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-jeremiah-sullivan/) > [“Three may keep a secret, if two of them are dead.’ – Ben Franklin,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/three-may-keep-a-secret-if-two-of-them-are-dead-ben-franklin/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [I intend to do the Penn & Teller show until they pry my cheesy magic wand from my cold dead fingers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/i-intend-to-do-the-penn-teller-show-until-they-pry-my-cheesy-magic/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > ['Misery' left a lasting mark on me. When I die, it will be 'Kathy 'Misery' Bates Is Dead.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-bates/misery-left-a-lasting-mark-on-me-when-i-die-it-will-be-kathy-misery/) [Kathy Bates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-bates/) > [The only good Indian is a dead Indian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-tecumseh-sherman/the-only-good-indian-is-a-dead-indian/) [William Tecumseh Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-tecumseh-sherman/) Browse all 3,376 Dead quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The dead hold in their hands only what they have given away.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Carl Sandburg" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sandburg/the-dead-hold-in-their-hands-only-what-they-have-given-away/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Dead" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sandburg/the-dead-hold-in-their-hands-only-what-they-have-given-away/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf0/carl-sandburg-952_dead_the-dead-hold-in-their-hands-only-what-t_937905.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf0/carl-sandburg-952_dead_the-dead-hold-in-their-hands-only-what-t_937905.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cf0/carl-sandburg-952_dead_the-dead-hold-in-their-hands-only-what-t_937905.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The dead hold in their hands only what they have given away.” — Carl Sandburg", "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": "Carl Sandburg", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sandburg/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The dead hold in their hands...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sandburg/the-dead-hold-in-their-hands-only-what-they-have-given-away/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sandburg/the-dead-hold-in-their-hands-only-what-they-have-given-away/#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 } } ] } ```