--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: And I never thought this life was…" description: "\"And I never thought this life was possible,You're the yellow bird that I've been waiting for. In polaroids you were dressed in women's clothes Were you..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98f/conor-oberst-1535_ashamed_and-i-never-thought-this-life-was-possib_405906.png" --- # And I never thought this life was possible,You're the… ![“And I never thought this life was possible,You're the yellow bird that I've been waiting for. In polaroids you were dressed in women's clothes Were you made ashamed, why'd you lock them in a drawer? Well, I don't think that I ever loved you more Well let the poets cry themselves to sleep And all…” quote by Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98f/conor-oberst-1535_ashamed_and-i-never-thought-this-life-was-possib_405906.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98f/conor-oberst-1535_ashamed_and-i-never-thought-this-life-was-possib_405906.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/98f/conor-oberst-1535_ashamed_and-i-never-thought-this-life-was-possib_405906.png) > “And I never thought this life was possible,You're the yellow bird that I've been waiting for. In polaroids you were dressed in women's clothes Were you made ashamed, why'd you lock them in a drawer? Well, I don't think that I ever loved you more Well let the poets cry themselves to sleep And all their tearful words will turn back into steam The sound of loneliness makes me happier.” [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A yearning for an impossible love, mixed with gender identity and loneliness, is expressed through poetic imagery. **In simple terms:** Longing for an impossible love and feeling lonely. Key Takeaway Embrace vulnerability and seek authentic connection. Themes love identity loneliness art longing Mood melancholic reflective hopeful Type poetic ly When to use this quote - personal relationships - creative writing - self‑acceptance - mental health - artistic inspiration Key Concepts gender expression poetic metaphor emotional conflict Questions to Reflect On - What does the "yellow bird" symbolize for you? - How can you honor both desire and personal boundaries? A Different Perspective The romantic ideal may overlook practical realities and consent. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ashamed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ashamed/) [Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bird/) [Clothes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clothes/) [Cry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cry/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Loneliness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loneliness/) [Poet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poet/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [Polaroids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/polaroids/) [Sleep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sleep/) [Sound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sound/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [This life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/this-life/) [Yellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/yellow/) ## Related quotes > [Let the poets cry themselves to sleep, and all their tearful words will turn back into steam.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/let-the-poets-cry-themselves-to-sleep-and-all-their-tearful-words/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) > [Ocean waters..oceans deep..Serious poets never sleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-ann-roberts/ocean-waters-oceans-deep-serious-poets-never-sleep/) Sally-Ann Roberts > [I just said let's get some poets on tv. And when they said that sounded unlikely, I made it worse. I said, no man,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-simmons/i-just-said-let-s-get-some-poets-on-tv-and-when-they-said-that/) [Russell Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-simmons/) > [You shouldn't let poets lie to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bjork/you-shouldn-t-let-poets-lie-to-you/) [Bjork](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bjork/) > [“2:36 am 2 am is for the poets who can’t sleep because their minds are alive with words for someone who’s not there For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-s/2-36-am-2-am-is-for-the-poets-who-can-t-sleep-because-their-minds-are/) L.S > [“A tearful queen was being led”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lin/a-tearful-queen-was-being-led/) [Grace Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lin/) > [I haven't a clue about the biology or the psychology involved when a person dissolves into tears, but it is quite fascinating to note…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/i-haven-t-a-clue-about-the-biology-or-the-psychology-involved-when-a/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [If your best friend's feeling tearful, Try not to be too cheerful. Just let her fill your ear full Of sad tales by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beatrice-schenk-de-regniers/if-your-best-friend-s-feeling-tearful-try-not-to-be-too-cheerful-just/) Beatrice Schenk de Regniers > [“How useful it would be to put a daily limit on self-pity. Just a few tearful minutes, then”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/how-useful-it-would-be-to-put-a-daily-limit-on-self-pity-just-a-few-2/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [I was an emotional wreck even as a young child, fearful and tearful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/i-was-an-emotional-wreck-even-as-a-young-child-fearful-and-tearful/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [I remember watching the Twin Towers collapse. Because it was another country and looked like a film, I just sort of thought, 'Oh.' I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-walsh/i-remember-watching-the-twin-towers-collapse-because-it-was-another/) [Bradley Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-walsh/) > [He chanced a glance at her. She was not tearful; that was one of the many wonderful things about Ginny, she was rarely weepy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/he-chanced-a-glance-at-her-she-was-not-tearful-that-was-one-of-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [How different is the ready hand, tearful eye, and soothing voice, from the ostentatious appearance which is called pity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-porter/how-different-is-the-ready-hand-tearful-eye-and-soothing-voice-from/) [Jane Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-porter/) > [I have had my fill of words and tearful farewells,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gannicus/i-have-had-my-fill-of-words-and-tearful-farewells/) [Gannicus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gannicus/) > [Many a fashion designer's career was founded using packs upon packs of Polaroids, and though we love them, we forget that the image quality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dries-van-noten/many-a-fashion-designer-s-career-was-founded-using-packs-upon-packs/) [Dries van Noten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dries-van-noten/) ## More by Conor Oberst > [Every time I finish a song... most of the time it's in my own head, like this sounds too much like a Townes Van…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/every-time-i-finish-a-song-most-of-the-time-it-s-in-my-own-head-like/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) > [Because the truth is that gossip is as good as gospel in this town. You can save face but you won't ever save your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/because-the-truth-is-that-gossip-is-as-good-as-gospel-in-this-town/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) > [There's nothing that the road cannot heal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/there-s-nothing-that-the-road-cannot-heal/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) > [I've given up trying to understand what people think about me. It seems like a lot of people don't like the music we make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/i-ve-given-up-trying-to-understand-what-people-think-about-me-it/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) > [You can't manufacture inspiration, so a lot of it is still a waiting game for me. There's still a lot of mystery to songwriting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/you-can-t-manufacture-inspiration-so-a-lot-of-it-is-still-a-waiting/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) > [Cause I swear that I'm dying, slowly but its happening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/cause-i-swear-that-i-m-dying-slowly-but-its-happening/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) > [In a way, to have whatever people talk about as "crossover success," I think it means you start making bad music. I mean, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/in-a-way-to-have-whatever-people-talk-about-as-crossover-success-i/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) > [Men with purple hearts carry silver guns and they will kill a man for what his father has done. But what my father did,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/men-with-purple-hearts-carry-silver-guns-and-they-will-kill-a-man-for/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) > [There's a major underlying idea as you grow up that you need to just save your money and get that affordable housing at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/there-s-a-major-underlying-idea-as-you-grow-up-that-you-need-to-just/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) > [To finish a song is the best feeling in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/to-finish-a-song-is-the-best-feeling-in-the-world/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) > [I've been part of running a label since I was a kid, so I understand how it works. But the more and more I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/i-ve-been-part-of-running-a-label-since-i-was-a-kid-so-i-understand/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) > [I'm ripe for the picking for the Scientologists - one of those creeps. Someone's got to find me. Some little weird cult can just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/i-m-ripe-for-the-picking-for-the-scientologists-one-of-those-creeps/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) > [When I run into a person or a kid that comes up and gives me the spiel about, 'Hey, I got your record at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/when-i-run-into-a-person-or-a-kid-that-comes-up-and-gives-me-the/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) > [My dad, who plays guitar and piano and was in cover bands, along with my older brother, Matt, taught me guitar and stuff. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/my-dad-who-plays-guitar-and-piano-and-was-in-cover-bands-along-with/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) > [I think there's a weird self-affirmation thing that happens in popular music in general. It seems like every song I hear on the radio…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/i-think-there-s-a-weird-self-affirmation-thing-that-happens-in/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) [Explore all 230 Conor Oberst quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) ## More Ashamed quotes > [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [I know what you're thinking... and you oughtta be ashamed of yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-preston/i-know-what-you-re-thinking-and-you-oughtta-be-ashamed-of-yourself/) Robert Preston > [You never meet the writer when you're making a TV movie in America - they're too ashamed to show up and see how their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-don-baker/you-never-meet-the-writer-when-you-re-making-a-tv-movie-in-america/) [Joe Don Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-don-baker/) > [I'm not ashamed of the things I believe and why I believe them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-huckabee/i-m-not-ashamed-of-the-things-i-believe-and-why-i-believe-them/) [Mike Huckabee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-huckabee/) > [If, with all the time at my disposal, with all the wealth of the resources of this vast universe, to do with as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/if-with-all-the-time-at-my-disposal-with-all-the-wealth-of-the/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [“with her own life. And I was ashamed.” Humiliated. Broken. Miserable. If Wilcher had stood by Jaymee, if her father hadn’t berated her, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-green/with-her-own-life-and-i-was-ashamed-humiliated-broken-miserable-if/) Stacy Green > [You should avoid hedging, at least that's what I think. You should be ashamed to die until you've made some contribution to mankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-johns/you-should-avoid-hedging-at-least-that-s-what-i-think-you-should-be/) Vernon Johns > [There was no mistake in us making abortion legal and available on demand. That was what we call progress. Just like it was no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-ruffalo/there-was-no-mistake-in-us-making-abortion-legal-and-available-on/) [Mark Ruffalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-ruffalo/) > [“When all are undressed, one is somehow not ashamed, but when one's the only one undressed and everybody is looking, it's degrading,' he kept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/when-all-are-undressed-one-is-somehow-not-ashamed-but-when-one-s-the/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [There are a great many colored people who are ashamed of the cake-walk, but I think they ought to be proud of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-weldon-johnson/there-are-a-great-many-colored-people-who-are-ashamed-of-the-cake/) [James Weldon Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-weldon-johnson/) > [I love him who is ashamed when the dice fall in his favour, and who then asketh: "Am I a dishonest player?" - for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/i-love-him-who-is-ashamed-when-the-dice-fall-in-his-favour-and-who/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zondervan-publishing/whoever-is-ashamed-of-me-and-my-words-the-son-of-man-will-be-ashamed/) [Zondervan Publishing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zondervan-publishing/) > [You were never created to live depressed, defeated, guilty, condemned, ashamed or unworthy. You were created to be victorious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/you-were-never-created-to-live-depressed-defeated-guilty-condemned/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I never wonder to see men wicked, but I often wonder to see them not ashamed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/i-never-wonder-to-see-men-wicked-but-i-often-wonder-to-see-them-not/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [“To survive during the Khmer Rouge, you had to steal, cheat, lie, point fingers at others, even kill. And now you are ashamed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-brinkley/to-survive-during-the-khmer-rouge-you-had-to-steal-cheat-lie-point/) [Joel Brinkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-brinkley/) [Browse all 1,607 Ashamed quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ashamed/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "And I never thought this life was possible,You're the yellow bird that I've been waiting for. In polaroids you were dressed in women's clothes Were you made ashamed, why'd you lock them in a drawer? 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