--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Written in pain, written in awe By a…" description: "\"“Written in pain, written in awe By a puzzled man who questioned What we were here for - Oh! You Pretty Things ”\" — David Bowie" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9f/david-bowie-508_bowie_written-in-pain-written-in-awe-by-a-puzz_3218937.jpg" --- # Written in pain, written in awe By a puzzled man who… ![“Written in pain, written in awe By a puzzled man who questioned What we were here for - Oh! You Pretty Things” quote by David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9f/david-bowie-508_bowie_written-in-pain-written-in-awe-by-a-puzz_3218937.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9f/david-bowie-508_bowie_written-in-pain-written-in-awe-by-a-puzz_3218937.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e9f/david-bowie-508_bowie_written-in-pain-written-in-awe-by-a-puzz_3218937.jpg) > ““Written in pain, written in awe By a puzzled man who questioned What we were here for - Oh! You Pretty Things ”” [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The lyric juxtaposes suffering and wonder, reflecting on humanity’s search for purpose amid confusion. **In simple terms:** Pain and awe mix as we seek meaning. Key Takeaway Embrace both hardship and curiosity. Themes existence purpose wonder confusion Mood melancholic thoughtful Type poetic lyilosophical When to use this quote - personal reflection - creative writing - philosophical contemplation Key Concepts existentialism artistic expression Questions to Reflect On - What does “pretty things” symbolize for you? - How do pain and awe coexist in your life? A Different Perspective The line is poetic and metaphorical, not a concrete statement of fact. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain/) [Pretty things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pretty-things/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Poetry, at least the kind I write, is written out of immediate need; it is written out of pain, joy, and experience too great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-l-engle/poetry-at-least-the-kind-i-write-is-written-out-of-immediate-need-it/) [Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) > [The Only girl.. I've ever loved was born with roses in her eyes.. Pain was written all over them.. was it all a disguise?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-nodo/the-only-girl-i-ve-ever-loved-was-born-with-roses-in-her-eyes-pain/) [Michael Nodo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-nodo/) > [“Only writing could soak up his loneliness and pain. Written words could tell him who he was.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/only-writing-could-soak-up-his-loneliness-and-pain-written-words/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [Face your fears, endure its pain and they will be re-written in the form of pride and dreams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-plitt/face-your-fears-endure-its-pain-and-they-will-be-re-written-in-the/) [Greg Plitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-plitt/) > [“He stiffens against me, pain written all over the mess of a face. He grabs my face in his hands. Holds me. "It's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-jordan/he-stiffens-against-me-pain-written-all-over-the-mess-of-a-face-he/) [Sophie Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-jordan/) > [“ I was born, slipping on a symphony of broken melancholy; created of pencils and crayons; i was not supposed to be this way.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-sturgill/i-was-born-slipping-on-a-symphony-of-broken-melancholy-created-of/) Emily Sturgill > [“Look out my window, what do I see? A crack in the sky and a hand reaching down to me. All the nightmares came…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/look-out-my-window-what-do-i-see-a-crack-in-the-sky-and-a-hand/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I fell headfirst into a sinkhole of pretty things, and the world inside your eyelids is just as big as the one outside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brenna-yovanoff/i-fell-headfirst-into-a-sinkhole-of-pretty-things-and-the-world/) [Brenna Yovanoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brenna-yovanoff/) > [“That's what they all say. Everyone says they want to know you, but they don't. They want to know the nice things, the pretty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-m-cameron/that-s-what-they-all-say-everyone-says-they-want-to-know-you-but-they/) [Chelsea M. Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-m-cameron/) > [“It's so dreadful to be poor!" sighed Meg, looking down at her old dress. "I don't think it's fair for some girls to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/it-s-so-dreadful-to-be-poor-sighed-meg-looking-down-at-her-old-dress-2/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [I adore pretty things & witty words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-spade/i-adore-pretty-things-witty-words/) [Kate Spade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-spade/) > [If you're pop and you don't talk about all the pretty things in life and having sex, then you're not really pop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristian-machado/if-you-re-pop-and-you-don-t-talk-about-all-the-pretty-things-in-life/) [Cristian Machado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristian-machado/) > [“Because baby, I'm wild pussy and wild pussy can't be bought. Wild pussy doesn't like having pretty things thrown at it and being expected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-sheehan/because-baby-i-m-wild-pussy-and-wild-pussy-can-t-be-bought-wild-pussy/) [Madeline Sheehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-sheehan/) > [I do think that I'm not good at making pretty things. It doesn't come so naturally for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlene-dumas/i-do-think-that-i-m-not-good-at-making-pretty-things-it-doesn-t-come/) [Marlene Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlene-dumas/) > [“Billy stayed in the wagon when it reached the slaughterhouse, sunning himself. The others went looking for souvenirs. Later on in life, the Tralfamadorians…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/billy-stayed-in-the-wagon-when-it-reached-the-slaughterhouse-sunning/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) ## More by David Bowie > [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/) > [No more free steps to heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/no-more-free-steps-to-heaven/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I'm not sure whether it is me changing my mind, or whether I lie a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-m-not-sure-whether-it-is-me-changing-my-mind-or-whether-i-lie-a-lot/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I do some kind of work, whether writing or painting or recording, on a daily basis. And it's so essential that when I'm involved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-do-some-kind-of-work-whether-writing-or-painting-or-recording-on-a/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [To not be modest about it, you'll find that with only a couple of exceptions, most of the musicians that I've worked with have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/to-not-be-modest-about-it-you-ll-find-that-with-only-a-couple-of/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I went mainstream in a major way with the song "Let's Dance." And what I found I had done was put a box around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-went-mainstream-in-a-major-way-with-the-song-let-s-dance-and-what-i/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [“Keep your 'lectric eye on me babe Put your ray gun to my head Press your space face close to mine, love Freak out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/keep-your-lectric-eye-on-me-babe-put-your-ray-gun-to-my-head-press/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I'm in awe of the universe, but I don't necessarily believe there's an intelligence or agent behind it. I do have a passion for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-m-in-awe-of-the-universe-but-i-don-t-necessarily-believe-there-s-an/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [TV has eaten up everything else, and Warhol films are all that are left, which is fabulous. Pork could become the next I Love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/tv-has-eaten-up-everything-else-and-warhol-films-are-all-that-are/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [“My brain hurt like a warehouse It had no room to spare I had to cram so many things to store everything in there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/my-brain-hurt-like-a-warehouse-it-had-no-room-to-spare-i-had-to-cram/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I suppose for me as an artist it wasn't always just about expressing my work; I really wanted, more than anything else, to contribute…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-suppose-for-me-as-an-artist-it-wasn-t-always-just-about-expressing/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [... And these children that you spit on as they try to change their worlds are immune to your consultations. They're quite aware of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/and-these-children-that-you-spit-on-as-they-try-to-change-their/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I think the first song I ever wrote ... was called "Can't Help Thinking About Me." That's an illuminating little piece, isn't it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-think-the-first-song-i-ever-wrote-was-called-can-t-help-thinking/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I've come to the realizations that I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing half the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-ve-come-to-the-realizations-that-i-have-absolutely-no-idea-what-i-m/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I never really felt like a rock singer or a rock star or whatever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-never-really-felt-like-a-rock-singer-or-a-rock-star-or-whatever/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) [Explore all 508 David Bowie quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) ## More Bowie quotes > [I was David Bowie-thin up to about 28, and then I discovered food.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/i-was-david-bowie-thin-up-to-about-28-and-then-i-discovered-food/) [Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/) > [I gotta friend who spends his life, stabbing my picture with a bowie knife. Dreams of strangling me with a scarf, when my name…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/i-gotta-friend-who-spends-his-life-stabbing-my-picture-with-a-bowie/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [“Keep your 'lectric eye on me babe Put your ray gun to my head Press your space face close to mine, love Freak out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/keep-your-lectric-eye-on-me-babe-put-your-ray-gun-to-my-head-press/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [ If I say something about David \[Bowie\], I get 1000 tweets, if I say something about my business just a few! The more personal,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iman-abdulmajid/if-i-say-something-about-david-bowie-i-get-1000-tweets-if-i-say/) [Iman Abdulmajid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iman-abdulmajid/) > [The problem is that the internet IS some kid in a basement with an opinion. The fact that David Bowie and Elton John told…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/page-hamilton/the-problem-is-that-the-internet-is-some-kid-in-a-basement-with-an/) [Page Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/page-hamilton/) > [I do not use the word 'genius' lightly, but if David Bowie is not a genius, then there is no such thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mick-rock/i-do-not-use-the-word-genius-lightly-but-if-david-bowie-is-not-a/) [Mick Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mick-rock/) > [David Bowie worked with Brian Eno and dressed up in extraordinary clothes, but he was also a brilliant songwriter who captured the thoughts of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bat-for-lashes/david-bowie-worked-with-brian-eno-and-dressed-up-in-extraordinary/) [Bat for Lashes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bat-for-lashes/) > [For Christmas when I was about four I got given 'Can the can' by Susie Quatro, so that was the first record I got.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-fanning/for-christmas-when-i-was-about-four-i-got-given-can-the-can-by-susie/) [Bernard Fanning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-fanning/) > [“The bravest thing David Bowie ever did was to go on stage after Queen at Live Aid.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stewart-stafford/the-bravest-thing-david-bowie-ever-did-was-to-go-on-stage-after-queen/) [Stewart Stafford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stewart-stafford/) > [With the groups who asked me to join them - like the Rolling Stones, Spirit, David Bowie, and Blood, Sweat & Tears - I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shuggie-otis/with-the-groups-who-asked-me-to-join-them-like-the-rolling-stones/) [Shuggie Otis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shuggie-otis/) > [David Bowie always told me how good I smelt. He said to me he had never smelt Chanel smell like that on anybody!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bebe-buell/david-bowie-always-told-me-how-good-i-smelt-he-said-to-me-he-had/) [Bebe Buell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bebe-buell/) > [I am a big David Bowie fan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-wiig/i-am-a-big-david-bowie-fan/) [Kristen Wiig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-wiig/) > [Davy Jones was the grooviest of the Monkees, which makes him one of the grooviest pop stars who ever existed. He was the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-sheffield/davy-jones-was-the-grooviest-of-the-monkees-which-makes-him-one-of/) [Rob Sheffield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-sheffield/) > [ Hearing that \[David\] Bowie passed was like you don't really believe it. It's as if the sky shifted a little bit, to remind you… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babatunde-adebimpe/hearing-that-david-bowie-passed-was-like-you-don-t-really-believe-it/) [Babatunde Adebimpe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babatunde-adebimpe/) > [It's fun to look at people that are so good at acting that aren't actors, like David Bowie creating a mystique about rock n'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-kilmer/it-s-fun-to-look-at-people-that-are-so-good-at-acting-that-aren-t/) [Val Kilmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-kilmer/) Browse all 200 Bowie quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Written in pain, written in awe By a puzzled man who questioned What we were here for - Oh! 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