--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He had not been able to see it in…" description: "\"“He had not been able to see it in himself, but looking at Hungerford, he was able at least to speculate on the possibility that fear, raw, physical fe..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/244/david-slavitt-189961_fear_he-had-not-been-able-to-see-it-in-himsel_1580509.jpg" --- # He had not been able to see it in himself, but looking at… ![“He had not been able to see it in himself, but looking at Hungerford, he was able at least to speculate on the possibility that fear, raw, physical fear, had a kind of gift to give, too. Who but the terrified has heard his own heart pounding, listened to his own stertorous breathing, wishing that…” quote by David Slavitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/244/david-slavitt-189961_fear_he-had-not-been-able-to-see-it-in-himsel_1580509.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/244/david-slavitt-189961_fear_he-had-not-been-able-to-see-it-in-himsel_1580509.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/244/david-slavitt-189961_fear_he-had-not-been-able-to-see-it-in-himsel_1580509.jpg) > ““He had not been able to see it in himself, but looking at Hungerford, he was able at least to speculate on the possibility that fear, raw, physical fear, had a kind of gift to give, too. Who but the terrified has heard his own heart pounding, listened to his own stertorous breathing, wishing that heart and lungs would be more quiet, and yet learning in their pulsation the lessons of rhythm and metrics? (Anagrams, p. 80)”” [David Slavitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-slavitt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage reflects on how fear can sharpen perception, using anagrams as a literary device to explore the raw, physical experience of terror. **In simple terms:** Fear heightens bodily awareness, offering lessons in rhythm and metrics. Key Takeaway Learn from fear’s physical signals. Themes fear perception poetry physical experience learning Mood intense reflective poetic Type Fear:1 Heart pounding:0 Mind:0 Poetry:1 Physical Fear:1 Heard Heart:0 Possibility Fear:0 Terrified Heard:0 When to use this quote - reading poetry - mindfulness practice - creative writing Key Concepts literary analysis psychology physiology Questions to Reflect On - How can we transform fear into insight? - What role does rhythm play in coping with terror? A Different Perspective Fear can be paralyzing, not just instructive. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Heard Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heard-heart-1385169/) [Heart pounding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart-pounding/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Physical Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physical-fear-1059041/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [Possibility Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/possibility-fear-3356000/) [Terrified Heard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terrified-heard-5969249/) ## Related quotes > [I have not that joy in the Holy Ghost, no settled, lasting joy; nor have I such a peace as excludes the possibility either…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wesley/i-have-not-that-joy-in-the-holy-ghost-no-settled-lasting-joy-nor-have/) [John Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wesley/) > [power is not a thing to be owned. But if you believe that it is such a thing, losing it becomes a possibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-janeway/power-is-not-a-thing-to-be-owned-but-if-you-believe-that-it-is-such-a/) [Elizabeth Janeway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-janeway/) > [Our tragedy today is a general and universal physical fear so long sustained by now that we can even bear it. There are no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/our-tragedy-today-is-a-general-and-universal-physical-fear-so-long/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [Much more prevalent than physical fear is the fear of criticism, rejection, and verbal opposition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-a-cuthbert/much-more-prevalent-than-physical-fear-is-the-fear-of-criticism/) [Derek A. Cuthbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-a-cuthbert/) > [Our tragedy is a general and universal physical fear so long sustained by now that we can even bear it... the basest of all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-faulkner/our-tragedy-is-a-general-and-universal-physical-fear-so-long/) [William Faulkner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-faulkner/) > [“We cannot convey heart inside written word alone. Words are one-dimensional, emotionless and heartless. We, as authors, search for ways to incorporate the missing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faith-living/we-cannot-convey-heart-inside-written-word-alone-words-are-one/) [Faith Living](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/faith-living/) > [The most painful goodbye is when your ears haven't heard it, yet your heart already feels it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-most-painful-goodbye-is-when-your-ears-haven-t-heard-it-yet-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I stood still, vision blurring, and in that moment, I heard my heart break. It was a small, clean sound, like the snapping of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/i-stood-still-vision-blurring-and-in-that-moment-i-heard-my-heart/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [“He heard her in his heart - whispering from the mist”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-geddes/he-heard-her-in-his-heart-whispering-from-the-mist/) [John Geddes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-geddes/) > [“After I heard that I had had a heart attack, how I lived in my body changed, and my doctor should have found a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-w-frank/after-i-heard-that-i-had-had-a-heart-attack-how-i-lived-in-my-body/) [Arthur W. Frank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-w-frank/) > [“He rolled her over, rising above her, cupping her cheek. "I wasn't lying, Loree. I've always heard the music in my heart…but I lost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorraine-heath/he-rolled-her-over-rising-above-her-cupping-her-cheek-i-wasn-t-lying/) [Lorraine Heath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorraine-heath/) > [“If the right person tells a story, I guess it doesn't matter how many times you've heard it. Your heart still hears it brand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie-lloyd/if-the-right-person-tells-a-story-i-guess-it-doesn-t-matter-how-many/) [Natalie Lloyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie-lloyd/) > [A lost voice will always be heard by the heart of your loved one. Always speak, even if no one is around; your voice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dylan-hofland/a-lost-voice-will-always-be-heard-by-the-heart-of-your-loved-one/) [Dylan Hofland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dylan-hofland/) > [“I heard your heart beating, you were in the darkness too. So I stayed in the darkness with you. -Cosmic Love”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-and-the-machine/i-heard-your-heart-beating-you-were-in-the-darkness-too-so-i-stayed/) [Florence And The Machine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-and-the-machine/) > [Beauty is never seen. Only heard through your heart and felt by your soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasmina-siderovski/beauty-is-never-seen-only-heard-through-your-heart-and-felt-by-your/) [Jasmina Siderovski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasmina-siderovski/) ## More Fear quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [“That horrible stinging sensation returned, the muscles behind my eyes straining as the first tear began to fall. “I’m scared, too. 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Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-t-anderson/) > [What an incredible drug fear is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/what-an-incredible-drug-fear-is/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [“Anything that you find yourself worrying about regularly may find you suddenly wanting unrealistic changes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nagisa-tatsumi/anything-that-you-find-yourself-worrying-about-regularly-may-find-you/) [Nagisa Tatsumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nagisa-tatsumi/) > [“We all know how the thing we secretly fear is not a secret at all but the open and eternal thing that predicts its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/we-all-know-how-the-thing-we-secretly-fear-is-not-a-secret-at-all-but/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [“I had nowhere to go and did not wish to be seen by anyone for fear they would recognize my sadness and so for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dewitt/i-had-nowhere-to-go-and-did-not-wish-to-be-seen-by-anyone-for-fear/) [Patrick deWitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-dewitt/) > [It's easier to change a law than an age-old mentality. 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But they mix in the middle.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-french/fear-and-desire-for-pleasure-aggressiveness-comes-out-of-fear/) [Marilyn French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-french/) > [“Carrie Fisher. “Stay afraid, but do it anyway.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-union/carrie-fisher-stay-afraid-but-do-it-anyway/) [Gabrielle Union](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-union/) > [“Yes, the issue was courage. It always had been, even as a kid. Things scared him. He couldn't help it. Noise scared him, dark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-o-brien/yes-the-issue-was-courage-it-always-had-been-even-as-a-kid-things/) [Tim O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-o-brien/) > [Don't be afraid of hard work. Nothing worthwhile comes easily. Don't let others discourage you or tell you that you can't do it. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-b-elion/don-t-be-afraid-of-hard-work-nothing-worthwhile-comes-easily-don-t/) [Gertrude B. Elion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-b-elion/) > [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) [Browse all 35,569 Fear quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“He had not been able to see it in himself, but looking at Hungerford, he was able at least to speculate on the possibility that fear, raw, physical fear, had a kind of gift to give, too. Who but the terrified has heard his own heart pounding, listened to his own stertorous breathing, wishing that heart and lungs would be more quiet, and yet learning in their pulsation the lessons of rhythm and metrics? 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