--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The midge's wing beats to and fro A…" description: "\"The midge's wing beats to and fro A thousand times ere one can utter O.\" — Coventry Patmore" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b3/coventry-patmore-14170_beats_the-midge-s-wing-beats-to-and-fro-a-thou_1367767.jpg" --- # The midge's wing beats to and fro A thousand times ere one… ![“The midge's wing beats to and fro A thousand times ere one can utter O.” quote by Coventry Patmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b3/coventry-patmore-14170_beats_the-midge-s-wing-beats-to-and-fro-a-thou_1367767.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b3/coventry-patmore-14170_beats_the-midge-s-wing-beats-to-and-fro-a-thou_1367767.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b3/coventry-patmore-14170_beats_the-midge-s-wing-beats-to-and-fro-a-thou_1367767.jpg) > “The midge's wing beats to and fro A thousand times ere one can utter O.” [Coventry Patmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coventry-patmore/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Uses the midge’s rapid wing beats as a metaphor for fleeting time before utterance **In simple terms:** Midge beats wings many times before a sound is spoken Key Takeaway Appreciate moments before they pass Themes poetry nature time Mood contemplative lyic Type poetic metaphorical When to use this quote - nature observation - creative writing - mindfulness Key Concepts impermanence microscopic life metaphor Questions to Reflect On - How do you capture fleeting moments in writing? - What does the midge symbolize for you? A Different Perspective Focus on tiny details can be overwhelming ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Midges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/midges/) ## Related quotes > [“She probably had the only 3-D CAD program in the world that used bat wing-beats as a unit of measurement. ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-hetley/she-probably-had-the-only-3-d-cad-program-in-the-world-that-used-bat/) James A. Hetley > [I suppose if there were a part of the world in which mastodon still lived, somebody would design a new gun, and men, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beryl-markham/i-suppose-if-there-were-a-part-of-the-world-in-which-mastodon-still/) [Beryl Markham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beryl-markham/) > [My very photogenic mother died in a freak accident (picnic, lightning) when I was three, and, save for a pocket of warmth in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-nabokov/my-very-photogenic-mother-died-in-a-freak-accident-picnic-lightning/) [Vladimir Nabokov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-nabokov/) > [I sing Connecticut, her charms / Of rivers, orchards, blossoming ridges. / I sing her gardens, fences, farms, / Spiders and midges.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-mcginley/i-sing-connecticut-her-charms-of-rivers-orchards-blossoming-ridges-i/) [Phyllis McGinley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-mcginley/) > [The midges you get in Scotland are evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-whitehouse/the-midges-you-get-in-scotland-are-evil/) [Paul Whitehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-whitehouse/) > [I am attached to the west coast of Scotland - it's gorgeous to look at and challenging. You have to contend with the possibility…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-anderson/i-am-attached-to-the-west-coast-of-scotland-it-s-gorgeous-to-look-at/) [Clive Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-anderson/) > [Yes, I actually have a portable fly-tying kit in my vest. I spent hours putting it all together, with a special emphasis on midge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ohman/yes-i-actually-have-a-portable-fly-tying-kit-in-my-vest-i-spent-hours/) Jack Ohman > [As much as anything, the anglers will clue you in to the midge hatch. You will see them hunched over in concentration like herons.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-engle/as-much-as-anything-the-anglers-will-clue-you-in-to-the-midge-hatch/) Ed Engle > [Don't you find it rather heavy, to have everything really in front of you – all the people who are going to matter, whom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-you-find-it-rather-heavy-to-have-everything-really-in-front-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If we had better hearing, and could discern the descants of sea birds, the rhythmic tympani of schools of mollusks, or even the distant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-thomas/if-we-had-better-hearing-and-could-discern-the-descants-of-sea-birds/) [Lewis Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-thomas/) > [As an example of just how useless these philosophers are for any practice in life there is Socrates himself, the one and only wise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desiderius-erasmus/as-an-example-of-just-how-useless-these-philosophers-are-for-any/) [Desiderius Erasmus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desiderius-erasmus/) > [I would much rather fight pride than vanity, because pride has a stand-up way of fighting. You know where it is. It throws its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/i-would-much-rather-fight-pride-than-vanity-because-pride-has-a-stand/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [I have developed my eye as a cinematographer through the craft of operating. When I am not operating, I am often anxious, uncertain, restless,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-richardson/i-have-developed-my-eye-as-a-cinematographer-through-the-craft-of/) [Robert Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-richardson/) > [I like to say that the greatest handicap of deafness does not lie in the ear, it lies in the mind. I hope that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlee-matlin/i-like-to-say-that-the-greatest-handicap-of-deafness-does-not-lie-in/) [Marlee Matlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlee-matlin/) > [Everything is winged in this universe, even a rock! When the time comes, rock crumbles into tiny pieces and starts flying in the air!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/everything-is-winged-in-this-universe-even-a-rock-when-the-time-comes/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) ## More by Coventry Patmore > [Ah, whither shall a maiden flee, When a bold youth so swift pursues, And siege of tenderest courtesy, With hope perseverant, still renews!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coventry-patmore/ah-whither-shall-a-maiden-flee-when-a-bold-youth-so-swift-pursues-and/) [Coventry Patmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coventry-patmore/) > [Fortunately for themselves and the world, nearly all men are cowards and dare not act on what they believe. Nearly all our disasters come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coventry-patmore/fortunately-for-themselves-and-the-world-nearly-all-men-are-cowards/) [Coventry Patmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coventry-patmore/) > [O, Heart, remember thee That Man is none, Save One.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coventry-patmore/o-heart-remember-thee-that-man-is-none-save-one/) [Coventry Patmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coventry-patmore/) > [Ah, wasteful woman, she who may On her sweet self set her own price, Knowing man cannot choose but pay, How has she cheapened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coventry-patmore/ah-wasteful-woman-she-who-may-on-her-sweet-self-set-her-own-price/) [Coventry Patmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coventry-patmore/) > [The ardour chills us which we do not share.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coventry-patmore/the-ardour-chills-us-which-we-do-not-share/) [Coventry Patmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coventry-patmore/) > [“ The Toys My little Son, who look'd from thoughtful eyes And moved and spoke in quiet grown-up wise, Having my law the seventh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coventry-patmore/the-toys-my-little-son-who-look-d-from-thoughtful-eyes-and-moved-and/) [Coventry Patmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coventry-patmore/) > [A moment's fruition of a true felicity is enough and eternity not too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coventry-patmore/a-moment-s-fruition-of-a-true-felicity-is-enough-and-eternity-not-too/) [Coventry Patmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coventry-patmore/) > [Creation differs from subsistence only as the first leap of a fountain differs from its continuance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coventry-patmore/creation-differs-from-subsistence-only-as-the-first-leap-of-a/) [Coventry Patmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coventry-patmore/) > [The woman is the man's glory, and she naturally delights in the praises which are assurances that she is fulfilling her function; and she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coventry-patmore/the-woman-is-the-man-s-glory-and-she-naturally-delights-in-the/) [Coventry Patmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coventry-patmore/) > [A saint is a person who does almost everything any other decent person does, only somewhat better and with a totally different motive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coventry-patmore/a-saint-is-a-person-who-does-almost-everything-any-other-decent/) [Coventry Patmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coventry-patmore/) > [One fool will deny more truth in half an hour than a wise man can prove in seven years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coventry-patmore/one-fool-will-deny-more-truth-in-half-an-hour-than-a-wise-man-can/) [Coventry Patmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coventry-patmore/) > [To have noughtIs to have all things without care or thought!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coventry-patmore/to-have-noughtis-to-have-all-things-without-care-or-thought/) [Coventry Patmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coventry-patmore/) > [Those who know God know that it is quite a mistake to suppose that there are only five senses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coventry-patmore/those-who-know-god-know-that-it-is-quite-a-mistake-to-suppose-that/) [Coventry Patmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coventry-patmore/) > [If we may credit certain hints contained in the lives of the saints, love raises the spirit above the sphere of reverence and worship…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coventry-patmore/if-we-may-credit-certain-hints-contained-in-the-lives-of-the-saints/) [Coventry Patmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coventry-patmore/) > [Kind souls, you wonder why, love you, When you, you wonder why, love none We love, Fool, for the good we do, Not that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coventry-patmore/kind-souls-you-wonder-why-love-you-when-you-you-wonder-why-love-none/) [Coventry Patmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coventry-patmore/) [Explore all 47 Coventry Patmore quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coventry-patmore/) ## More Beats quotes > [Histories never conclude; they just pause their prose. Their stories are, if they are truthful, untidy affairs, resistant to windings-up and sortings-out. They beat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-schama/histories-never-conclude-they-just-pause-their-prose-their-stories/) [Simon Schama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-schama/) > [So many things beat upon us in a lifetime that simply enduring may seem almost beyond us… But the test a loving God has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-b-eyring/so-many-things-beat-upon-us-in-a-lifetime-that-simply-enduring-may/) [Henry B. Eyring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-b-eyring/) > [The Beat Generation, that was a vision that we had, John Clellon Holmes and I, and Allen Ginsberg in an even wilder way, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/the-beat-generation-that-was-a-vision-that-we-had-john-clellon-holmes/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [Certainly these are not easy times. But history does not contain very many easy times. Years from now, we will look back at this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-ingraham/certainly-these-are-not-easy-times-but-history-does-not-contain-very/) [Laura Ingraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-ingraham/) > [I usually write from the rhythm section...If a drummer got a funky beat on some things - like a half-shuffle or a shuffle or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-davis/i-usually-write-from-the-rhythm-section-if-a-drummer-got-a-funky-beat/) [Miles Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-davis/) > [If you don't like club beats take a HIT OF E and you will love the music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mccarty/if-you-don-t-like-club-beats-take-a-hit-of-e-and-you-will-love-the/) [Kevin McCarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mccarty/) > [Every pitcher can beat you, it doesn't matter how good you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-bonds/every-pitcher-can-beat-you-it-doesn-t-matter-how-good-you-are/) [Barry Bonds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-bonds/) > [Only two to three per cent of an audience is interested in words and pays attention to lyrics; most of the rest of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stewart/only-two-to-three-per-cent-of-an-audience-is-interested-in-words-and/) [Al Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stewart/) > [Joel Lane documents a life we don’t quite live, in a city we can’t quite find: half glimpsed and half imagined, we know it’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaz-brenchley/joel-lane-documents-a-life-we-don-t-quite-live-in-a-city-we-can-t/) Chaz Brenchley > [Practice to beat the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-bennett/practice-to-beat-the-best/) [Dick Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-bennett/) > [I don't know about the rest of the world, but I know in our region everyone is gunning to beat us. We have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/landon-donovan/i-don-t-know-about-the-rest-of-the-world-but-i-know-in-our-region/) [Landon Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/landon-donovan/) > [Grand business plans are all very well, but nothing beats dipping your toe in the water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-bilimoria-karan-bilimoria/grand-business-plans-are-all-very-well-but-nothing-beats-dipping-your/) Baron Bilimoria Karan Bilimoria > [Let a man who has to make his fortune in life remember this maxim: Attacking is the only secret. Dare and the world yields,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/let-a-man-who-has-to-make-his-fortune-in-life-remember-this-maxim/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [Imagine if you were a drummer, and you accidentally picked up two magic wands instead of sticks. There you are, keeping the beat, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/imagine-if-you-were-a-drummer-and-you-accidentally-picked-up-two/) [Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/) > [I don't like small birds. They hop around so merrily outside my window, looking so innocent. but I know that secretly, they're watching my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-don-t-like-small-birds-they-hop-around-so-merrily-outside-my-window/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) Browse all 3,311 Beats quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The midge's wing beats to and fro A thousand times ere one can utter O.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Coventry Patmore" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coventry-patmore/the-midge-s-wing-beats-to-and-fro-a-thousand-times-ere-one-can-utter-o/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Beats" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coventry-patmore/the-midge-s-wing-beats-to-and-fro-a-thousand-times-ere-one-can-utter-o/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b3/coventry-patmore-14170_beats_the-midge-s-wing-beats-to-and-fro-a-thou_1367767.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b3/coventry-patmore-14170_beats_the-midge-s-wing-beats-to-and-fro-a-thou_1367767.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b3/coventry-patmore-14170_beats_the-midge-s-wing-beats-to-and-fro-a-thou_1367767.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The midge's wing beats to and fro A thousand times ere one can utter O.” — Coventry Patmore", "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": "Coventry Patmore", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coventry-patmore/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The midge's wing beats to and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coventry-patmore/the-midge-s-wing-beats-to-and-fro-a-thousand-times-ere-one-can-utter-o/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coventry-patmore/the-midge-s-wing-beats-to-and-fro-a-thousand-times-ere-one-can-utter-o/#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 } } ] } ```