--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Lights Out\" I have come to the borders of…" description: "\"“Lights Out\" I have come to the borders of sleep, The unfathomable deep Forest where all must lose Their way, however straight, Or winding, soon or lat..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b2a/edward-thomas-23008_despair_lights-out-i-have-come-to-the-borders-of_2820548.jpg" --- # Lights Out" I have come to the borders of sleep, The… ![“Lights Out" I have come to the borders of sleep, The unfathomable deep Forest where all must lose Their way, however straight, Or winding, soon or late; They cannot choose. Many a road and track That, since the dawn’s first crack, Up to the forest brink, Deceived the travellers, Suddenly now…” quote by Edward Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b2a/edward-thomas-23008_despair_lights-out-i-have-come-to-the-borders-of_2820548.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b2a/edward-thomas-23008_despair_lights-out-i-have-come-to-the-borders-of_2820548.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b2a/edward-thomas-23008_despair_lights-out-i-have-come-to-the-borders-of_2820548.jpg) > ““Lights Out" I have come to the borders of sleep, The unfathomable deep Forest where all must lose Their way, however straight, Or winding, soon or late; They cannot choose. Many a road and track That, since the dawn’s first crack, Up to the forest brink, Deceived the travellers, Suddenly now blurs, And in they sink. Here love ends, Despair, ambition ends; All pleasure and all trouble, Although most sweet or bitter, Here ends in sleep that is sweeter Than tasks most noble. There is not any book Or face of dearest look That I would not turn from now To go into the unknown I must enter, and leave, alone, I know not how. The tall forest towers; Its cloudy foliage lowers Ahead, shelf above shelf; Its silence I hear and obey That I may lose my way And myself.”” [Edward Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-thomas/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The forest of sleep represents the unknown, where ambition and pleasure end, and one must face solitude and uncertainty. **In simple terms:** Sleep is an unknown forest. Key Takeaway Embrace uncertainty, seek meaning beyond comfort. Themes death unknown solitude ambition Mood melancholic contemplative Type poetic philosophical When to use this quote - grief - spiritual quest - creative writing Key Concepts existentialism literature philosophy Questions to Reflect On - What unknowns do you avoid? - How can you find purpose in solitude? A Different Perspective unknown can be terrifying. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Borders Sleep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/borders-sleep-3585917/) [Despair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/despair/) [Forest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forest/) [Forest Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forest-brink-3585918/) [Journey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journey/) [Lights Come](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lights-come-858699/) [Love End](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-end/) [Silence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silence/) [Sleep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sleep/) ## Related quotes > [“He motions to the glue brush. "Can I have some?" 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The future is happening, but it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-wentz/the-world-spins-along-outside-the-sun-rises-and-sets-the-streets-go/) [Pete Wentz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-wentz/) > [Once the big lights come in, you can feel self-conscious. How can you capture the scene without ruining it and freezing people up? You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-krisel/once-the-big-lights-come-in-you-can-feel-self-conscious-how-can-you/) [Jonathan Krisel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-krisel/) > [Another Keisha, nice to meet ya, get the math I'm gone what am I s'posed to do when the club lights come on?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dirty-money/another-keisha-nice-to-meet-ya-get-the-math-i-m-gone-what-am-i-s/) [Dirty Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dirty-money/) > [The electricity is back on in Baghdad. That is a very climactic moment in any country's liberation, when the lights come back on and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/the-electricity-is-back-on-in-baghdad-that-is-a-very-climactic-moment/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [“I judge the world by my own lights and I come by my own hand.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-madsen/i-judge-the-world-by-my-own-lights-and-i-come-by-my-own-hand/) [Catherine Madsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-madsen/) > [When the lights come on inside of you, everyone in the world can see a little better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-altucher/when-the-lights-come-on-inside-of-you-everyone-in-the-world-can-see-a/) [James Altucher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-altucher/) > [“The lights come on and my future returns in the glare.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-hall/the-lights-come-on-and-my-future-returns-in-the-glare/) [Meredith Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-hall/) > [I turn the music up, I got my records on I shut the world outside until the lights come on. maybe the streets alight,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-merrow/i-turn-the-music-up-i-got-my-records-on-i-shut-the-world-outside/) [James Merrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-merrow/) > [“poet Harold Hart Crane #203 on top 500 poets Poet's Page Poems Comments Stats E-Books Biography Videos Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Poems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-hart-crane/poet-harold-hart-crane-203-on-top-500-poets-poet-s-page-poems/) [Harold Hart Crane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-hart-crane/) > [“ The Prodigal Son They gave the deep end of their heart--a hue of crimson red, They whispered their desire and offered up their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/the-prodigal-son-they-gave-the-deep-end-of-their-heart-a-hue-of/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [A father may turn his back on his child, brothers and sisters may become inveterate enemies, husbands may desert their wives, wives their husbands.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washington-irving/a-father-may-turn-his-back-on-his-child-brothers-and-sisters-may/) [Washington Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washington-irving/) ## More by Edward Thomas > [A merely great intellect can produce prose, but not poetry, not one line.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-thomas/a-merely-great-intellect-can-produce-prose-but-not-poetry-not-one-line/) [Edward Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-thomas/) > [If I should ever by chance grow richI'll buy Codham, Cockridden, and Childerditch,Roses, Pyrgo, and Lapwater,And let them all to my eldest daughter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-thomas/if-i-should-ever-by-chance-grow-richi-ll-buy-codham-cockridden-and/) [Edward Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-thomas/) > [To-day I think Only with scents, - scents dead leaves yield, And bracken, and wild carrot's seed, And the square mustard field; Odours that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-thomas/to-day-i-think-only-with-scents-scents-dead-leaves-yield-and-bracken/) [Edward Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-thomas/) > [I like to think how easily Nature will absorb London as she absorbed the mastodon, setting her spiders to spin the winding-sheet and her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-thomas/i-like-to-think-how-easily-nature-will-absorb-london-as-she-absorbed/) [Edward Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-thomas/) > [ “If he \[Pound\] is not careful he will take to meaning what he says instead of saying what he means.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-thomas/if-he-pound-is-not-careful-he-will-take-to-meaning-what-he-says/) [Edward Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-thomas/) > [“Tall Nettles Tall nettles cover up, as they have done These many springs, the rusty harrow, the plough Long worn out, and the roller…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-thomas/tall-nettles-tall-nettles-cover-up-as-they-have-done-these-many/) [Edward Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-thomas/) > [“You English words? I know you: You are light as dreams, Tough as oak, Precious as gold, As poppies and corn, Or an old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-thomas/you-english-words-i-know-you-you-are-light-as-dreams-tough-as-oak/) [Edward Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-thomas/) > [How nice it would be to be dead if only we could know we were dead. That is what I hate, the not being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-thomas/how-nice-it-would-be-to-be-dead-if-only-we-could-know-we-were-dead/) [Edward Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-thomas/) > [“Rain, midnight rain, nothing but the wild rain On this bleak hut, and solitude, and me Remembering again that I shall die And neither…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-thomas/rain-midnight-rain-nothing-but-the-wild-rain-on-this-bleak-hut-and/) [Edward Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-thomas/) > [Yes; I remember Adlestrop- The name, because one afternoon Of heat the express-train drew up there Unwontedly. It was late June.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-thomas/yes-i-remember-adlestrop-the-name-because-one-afternoon-of-heat-the/) [Edward Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-thomas/) > [Over the land freckled with snow half-thawed The speculating rooks at their nests cawed And saw from elm tops, delicate as flower of grass,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-thomas/over-the-land-freckled-with-snow-half-thawed-the-speculating-rooks-at/) [Edward Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-thomas/) > [“This ploughman dead in battle slept out of doors Many a frozen night, and merrily Answered staid drinkers, good bedmen, and all bores: "At…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-thomas/this-ploughman-dead-in-battle-slept-out-of-doors-many-a-frozen-night/) [Edward Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-thomas/) > [I built myself a house of glass:It took me years to make it:And I was proud. But now, alas!Would God someone would break it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-thomas/i-built-myself-a-house-of-glass-it-took-me-years-to-make-it-and-i-was/) [Edward Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-thomas/) > [Making war or rebellion is messy, like eating soup off a knife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-thomas/making-war-or-rebellion-is-messy-like-eating-soup-off-a-knife/) [Edward Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-thomas/) > [I, too, often shrivel the grey shreds,Sniff them and think and sniff again and tryOnce more to think what it is I am remembering,Always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-thomas/i-too-often-shrivel-the-grey-shreds-sniff-them-and-think-and-sniff/) [Edward Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-thomas/) [Explore all 26 Edward Thomas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-thomas/) ## More Despair quotes > [“As ofttimes as it rains on my little spot of earth, you'd think I'd grow accustomed to the gloom.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/as-ofttimes-as-it-rains-on-my-little-spot-of-earth-you-d-think-i-d/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [“She searched her mind for a single day when it had felt good to be alive. There must have been one, surely?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-abbott/she-searched-her-mind-for-a-single-day-when-it-had-felt-good-to-be/) [Rachel Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-abbott/) > [“Men circle like bees around honey, buzzing to communicate their sexual despair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carla-h-krueger/men-circle-like-bees-around-honey-buzzing-to-communicate-their-sexual/) [Carla H Krueger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carla-h-krueger/) > [I think what was special about 'Music by Prudence' was the classic story of the title subject's life path - from being an outcast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-think-what-was-special-about-music-by-prudence-was-the-classic/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [Your spirit is the part of you that seeks meaning and purpose. It's the part drawn to hope, that will not give in to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-myss/your-spirit-is-the-part-of-you-that-seeks-meaning-and-purpose-it-s/) [Caroline Myss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-myss/) > [My God, whose son, as on this night, took on Him the form of man, and for man vouchsafed to suffer and bleed, controls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/my-god-whose-son-as-on-this-night-took-on-him-the-form-of-man-and-for/) [Charlotte Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [The modernist writers found despair inspirational.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/the-modernist-writers-found-despair-inspirational/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [The skin and shell of things Though fair are not Thy wish nor prayer but got My meer despair of wings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-vaughan/the-skin-and-shell-of-things-though-fair-are-not-thy-wish-nor-prayer/) [Henry Vaughan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-vaughan/) > [“A fine setting for a fit of despair,” it occurred to him, “if I were only standing here by accident instead of design.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/a-fine-setting-for-a-fit-of-despair-it-occurred-to-him-if-i-were-only/) [Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/) > [Enough for this bow & arrow. It caused me nothing but sorrow. No need for another tomorrow. In your heart, I will never be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louaiq8/enough-for-this-bow-arrow-it-caused-me-nothing-but-sorrow-no-need-for/) [Louaiq8](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louaiq8/) > [True repentance never leads to despair. Its leads home. It leads to grace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/true-repentance-never-leads-to-despair-its-leads-home-it-leads-to/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [Do not consider despair as a thick and high wall standing on your way; it is just a darkness and you can still walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/do-not-consider-despair-as-a-thick-and-high-wall-standing-on-your-way/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [Despair is the price one pays for setting oneself an impossible aim. It is, one is told, the unforgivable sin, but it is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-greene/despair-is-the-price-one-pays-for-setting-oneself-an-impossible-aim/) [Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/) > [A speculative despair is unpardonable where it our duty to act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/a-speculative-despair-is-unpardonable-where-it-our-duty-to-act/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [I have noticed that there is no dissatisfaction like that of the rich. Feed a man, clothe him, put him in a good house,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-have-noticed-that-there-is-no-dissatisfaction-like-that-of-the-rich/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) [Browse all 3,181 Despair quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/despair/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Lights Out\" I have come to the borders of sleep, The unfathomable deep Forest where all must lose Their way, however straight, Or winding, soon or late; They cannot choose. Many a road and track That, since the dawn’s first crack, Up to the forest brink, Deceived the travellers, Suddenly now blurs, And in they sink. Here love ends, Despair, ambition ends; All pleasure and all trouble, Although most sweet or bitter, Here ends in sleep that is sweeter Than tasks most noble. There is not any book Or face of dearest look That I would not turn from now To go into the unknown I must enter, and leave, alone, I know not how. 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