Black eyes Quote by Ellen Bass
““If You Knew What if you knew you'd be the last to touch someone? If you were taking tickets, for example, at the theater, tearing them, giving back the ragged stubs, you might take care to touch that palm brush your fingertips along the lifeline's crease. When a man pulls his wheeled suitcase too slowly through the airport, when the car in front of me doesn't signal, when the clerk at the pharmacy won't say thank you, I don't remember they're going to die. A friend told me she'd been with her aunt. They'd just had lunch and the waiter, a young gay man with plum black eyes, joked as he served the coffee, kissed her aunt's powdered cheek when they left. Then they walked half a block and her aunt dropped dead on the sidewalk. How close does the dragon's spume have to come? How wide does the crack in heaven have to split? What would people look like if we could see them as they are, soaked in honey, stung and swollen, reckless, pinned against time?””
About This Quote
Source Interview: The Poetry of Ellen Bass, 2015
Contemplates mortality, fleeting connections, and the hidden suffering behind everyday moments.
In simple terms: Life is fragile and moments matter.
Key Takeaway
Cherish each interaction.
Themes
mortality
human connection
empathy
Mood
reflective
somber
Type
philosophical
poetic
When to use this quote
- airport delays
- customer service encounters
- family gatherings
- unexpected loss
Key Concepts
existentialism
mindfulness
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you honor the unseen struggles of others?
- What small acts can reveal deeper humanity?
A Different Perspective
The quote may romanticize tragedy, overlooking everyday joy.
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