Autumn Quote by Fernando Pessoa
““The autumn will take everything, everything I ever thought or dreamed, everything I did or did not do, spent matches scattered at random on the floor, discarded scraps of paper, great empires, all the religions and philosophies that the drowsy children of the abyss played at making. The autumn will take everything, everything, that is, that made up my soul, from my noblest aspirations to the ordinary house in which I live, from the gods I once worshipped to my boss Vasques. The autumn will take everything, will sweep everything up with tender indifference. The autumn will take everything.””
About This Quote
Source Poem: The Book of Disquiet, 1913
The passage reflects the inevitability of loss, as autumn metaphorically consumes all material, spiritual, and personal aspects of life, leaving nothing untouched.
In simple terms: Everything is eventually taken away by time.
Key Takeaway
Accept impermanence and cherish the present.
Themes
impermanence
loss
acceptance
reflection
Mood
melancholic
contemplative
Type
poetic
philosophical
When to use this quote
- grieving
- letting go
- mindfulness
- philosophical contemplation
- artistic expression
Key Concepts
existentialism
nihilism
transience
Questions to Reflect On
- What can you cherish now knowing it may be fleeting?
- How does acknowledging loss change your priorities?
A Different Perspective
The metaphor may overemphasize fatalism, ignoring human agency.
