--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: And if sun comes / How shall we greet…" description: "\"And if sun comes / How shall we greet him? / Shall we not dread him, / Shall we not fear him / After so lengthy a / Session with shade?\" — Gwendolyn Br..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02d/gwendolyn-brooks-5624_ambivalence_and-if-sun-comes-how-shall-we-greet-him_498050.png" --- # And if sun comes / How shall we greet him? / Shall we not… ![“And if sun comes / How shall we greet him? / Shall we not dread him, / Shall we not fear him / After so lengthy a / Session with shade?” quote by Gwendolyn Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02d/gwendolyn-brooks-5624_ambivalence_and-if-sun-comes-how-shall-we-greet-him_498050.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02d/gwendolyn-brooks-5624_ambivalence_and-if-sun-comes-how-shall-we-greet-him_498050.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02d/gwendolyn-brooks-5624_ambivalence_and-if-sun-comes-how-shall-we-greet-him_498050.png) > “And if sun comes / How shall we greet him? / Shall we not dread him, / Shall we not fear him / After so lengthy a / Session with shade?” [Gwendolyn Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwendolyn-brooks/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The poet questions how to respond to the sun after a long period in darkness, weighing awe and fear. **In simple terms:** After darkness, we wonder how to greet light. Key Takeaway Approach new beginnings with curiosity, not fear. Themes sun light darkness transition fear Mood contemplative hopeful Type poetic philosophical When to use this quote - morning routines - career changes - spiritual awakenings - creative endeavors Key Concepts mythology psychology nature symbolism Questions to Reflect On - How do you greet new opportunities after hardship? - What fears arise when confronting the unknown? A Different Perspective Fear may paralyze action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ambivalence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambivalence/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Shade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shade/) [Sun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sun/) ## Related quotes > [“ Truth And if sun comes How shall we greet him? Shall we not dread him, Shall we not fear him After so lengthy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwendolyn-brooks/truth-and-if-sun-comes-how-shall-we-greet-him-shall-we-not-dread-him/) [Gwendolyn Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwendolyn-brooks/) > [The sun comes up just about as often as it goes down, in the long run, but this doesn't make its motion random.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-knuth/the-sun-comes-up-just-about-as-often-as-it-goes-down-in-the-long-run/) [Donald Knuth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-knuth/) > [If the sun comes up, I have a chance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/venus-williams/if-the-sun-comes-up-i-have-a-chance/) [Venus Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/venus-williams/) > [The sun comes up each day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-gokey/the-sun-comes-up-each-day/) [Danny Gokey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-gokey/) > [“The's what nearly drove me crazy. All the visitors could get in their cars and turn on their radios and all and then go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/the-s-what-nearly-drove-me-crazy-all-the-visitors-could-get-in-their/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [Ewan McGregor and I said this to each other after we saw The Ghost Writer. Every time Roman Polanski did a "No, no, no!,"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-williams/ewan-mcgregor-and-i-said-this-to-each-other-after-we-saw-the-ghost/) [Olivia Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-williams/) > [“I looked around the garden, the sun feeling warm on my back. "So why are you here? I would think you'd want to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-white/i-looked-around-the-garden-the-sun-feeling-warm-on-my-back-so-why-are/) [Karen White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-white/) > [“When the sun comes out in Hawaii, it warms up. When the sun comes in Puerto Vallarta, it warms up. when the sun comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-tracy/when-the-sun-comes-out-in-hawaii-it-warms-up-when-the-sun-comes-in/) [P.J. Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-tracy/) > [The sun comes into being each day from little pieces of fire that are collected.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/xenophanes/the-sun-comes-into-being-each-day-from-little-pieces-of-fire-that-are/) [Xenophanes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/xenophanes/) > [“I know how bad you boys feel, but the sun will still come up tomorrow. And when it does, you 'll feel better. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/i-know-how-bad-you-boys-feel-but-the-sun-will-still-come-up-tomorrow/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [The sun goes down, we come out. A different party in a different city. The sun comes up, we go down. We lived fast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bring-me-the-horizon/the-sun-goes-down-we-come-out-a-different-party-in-a-different-city/) [Bring Me The Horizon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bring-me-the-horizon/) > [I let you walked out of my door, It is just fine knowing you out there somewhere along, Finding happiness with your own, For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-reolope/i-let-you-walked-out-of-my-door-it-is-just-fine-knowing-you-out-there/) [Janet Reolope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-reolope/) > [The universe clearly operates for the benefit of humanity. This can be readily seen from the convenient way the sun comes up in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-universe-clearly-operates-for-the-benefit-of-humanity-this-can-be/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [If I win, it's a bonus. If I lose, the sun still comes up the next day, and it's all good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashleigh-barty/if-i-win-it-s-a-bonus-if-i-lose-the-sun-still-comes-up-the-next-day/) [Ashleigh Barty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashleigh-barty/) > [Every day, the sun comes out and the sky's always blue. That's what I miss about Denver.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dikembe-mutombo/every-day-the-sun-comes-out-and-the-sky-s-always-blue-that-s-what-i/) [Dikembe Mutombo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dikembe-mutombo/) ## More by Gwendolyn Brooks > [My last defense / Is the present tense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwendolyn-brooks/my-last-defense-is-the-present-tense/) [Gwendolyn Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwendolyn-brooks/) > [Nothing could stop Mississippi.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwendolyn-brooks/nothing-could-stop-mississippi/) [Gwendolyn Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwendolyn-brooks/) > [Very early in life I became fascinated with the wonders language can achieve. And I began playing with words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwendolyn-brooks/very-early-in-life-i-became-fascinated-with-the-wonders-language-can/) [Gwendolyn Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwendolyn-brooks/) > [We real cool. We Left school. We Lurk late. We Strike straight. We Sing sin. We Thin gin. We Jazz June. We Die soon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwendolyn-brooks/we-real-cool-we-left-school-we-lurk-late-we-strike-straight-we-sing/) [Gwendolyn Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwendolyn-brooks/) > [I've always thought of myself as a reporter. When people ask why I don't stop writing, I say, 'Look at what's happening in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwendolyn-brooks/i-ve-always-thought-of-myself-as-a-reporter-when-people-ask-why-i-don/) [Gwendolyn Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwendolyn-brooks/) > [She was afraid to suggest to him that to most people, nothing "happens." That most people merely live from day to day until they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwendolyn-brooks/she-was-afraid-to-suggest-to-him-that-to-most-people-nothing-happens/) [Gwendolyn Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwendolyn-brooks/) > [A writer should get as much education as possible, but just going to school is not enough; if it were, all owners of doctorates…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwendolyn-brooks/a-writer-should-get-as-much-education-as-possible-but-just-going-to/) [Gwendolyn Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwendolyn-brooks/) > [Reading is important - read between the lines. Don't swallow everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwendolyn-brooks/reading-is-important-read-between-the-lines-don-t-swallow-everything/) [Gwendolyn Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwendolyn-brooks/) > [No man can give me any word but Wait.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwendolyn-brooks/no-man-can-give-me-any-word-but-wait/) [Gwendolyn Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwendolyn-brooks/) > [The forties and fifties were years of high poet-incense; the language-flowers were thickly sweet. Those flowers whined and begged white folks to pick them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwendolyn-brooks/the-forties-and-fifties-were-years-of-high-poet-incense-the-language/) [Gwendolyn Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwendolyn-brooks/) > [It frightens me to realize that, if I had died before the age of fifty, I would have died a 'Negro' fraction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwendolyn-brooks/it-frightens-me-to-realize-that-if-i-had-died-before-the-age-of-fifty/) [Gwendolyn Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwendolyn-brooks/) > [One reason cats are happier than people is that they have no newspapers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwendolyn-brooks/one-reason-cats-are-happier-than-people-is-that-they-have-no/) [Gwendolyn Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwendolyn-brooks/) > [We are each other's magnitude and bond.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwendolyn-brooks/we-are-each-other-s-magnitude-and-bond/) [Gwendolyn Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwendolyn-brooks/) > [What I'm fighting for now in my work... for an expression relevant to all manner of blacks, poems I could take into a tavern,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwendolyn-brooks/what-i-m-fighting-for-now-in-my-work-for-an-expression-relevant-to/) [Gwendolyn Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwendolyn-brooks/) > [I think it must be lonely to be God. Nobody loves a master. No.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwendolyn-brooks/i-think-it-must-be-lonely-to-be-god-nobody-loves-a-master-no/) [Gwendolyn Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwendolyn-brooks/) [Explore all 100 Gwendolyn Brooks quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwendolyn-brooks/) ## More Ambivalence quotes > [The less obvious hurdle is that of preparing parents emotionally and putting forward realistic images of parenthood and motherhood. There also needs to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-valenti/the-less-obvious-hurdle-is-that-of-preparing-parents-emotionally-and/) [Jessica Valenti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-valenti/) > [“In starlit nights I saw you, So cruelly you kissed me. Your lips a magic world, Your sky all hung with jewels. The killing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/echo-and-the-bunnymen/in-starlit-nights-i-saw-you-so-cruelly-you-kissed-me-your-lips-a/) Echo and the Bunnymen > [The base of artistic pursuit is ambivalence and complexity. And that's what I try to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-perez/the-base-of-artistic-pursuit-is-ambivalence-and-complexity-and-that-s/) [Fernando Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-perez/) > [We British play an important role in Europe, even if we have a traditional and historical ambivalence towards the continent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-barber/we-british-play-an-important-role-in-europe-even-if-we-have-a/) [Lionel Barber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-barber/) > [“Raising a child is the very definition of ambivalence. I am overwhelmed at times by how something can simultaneously be so awful and so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/raising-a-child-is-the-very-definition-of-ambivalence-i-am/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [We don't do ambivalence well in America. We do courage of our convictions. We do might makes right. Ambivalence is French. Certainty is American.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/we-don-t-do-ambivalence-well-in-america-we-do-courage-of-our/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [“The problem is that when you’re not fighting for survival, it’s easy to stop making decisions and fall into the trap of thinking you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-ryder-howe/the-problem-is-that-when-you-re-not-fighting-for-survival-it-s-easy/) Ben Ryder Howe > ['The Simpsons' is about alienation and the ambivalence of living with a family who you love but who drive you completely crazy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-groening/the-simpsons-is-about-alienation-and-the-ambivalence-of-living-with-a/) [Matt Groening](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-groening/) > [I think we have deluded ourselves into believing that people don't know that abortion is killing. So any pretense that abortion is not killing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faye-wattleton/i-think-we-have-deluded-ourselves-into-believing-that-people-don-t/) [Faye Wattleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/faye-wattleton/) > [Prudence is not hesitation, procrastination, or moderation. It is not driving in the middle of the road. It is not the way of ambivalence,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ortberg/prudence-is-not-hesitation-procrastination-or-moderation-it-is-not/) [John Ortberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ortberg/) > [From the beginning, there have been some religious leaders who greeted the funding of faith-based social services by government with ambivalence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-campolo/from-the-beginning-there-have-been-some-religious-leaders-who-greeted/) [Tony Campolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-campolo/) > [Real love, the kind you have with a person, must go through ambivalence.There is simply no way around it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kumar-anupam/real-love-the-kind-you-have-with-a-person-must-go-through-ambivalence/) [Kumar Anupam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kumar-anupam/) > [My children cause me the most exquisite suffering of which I have any experience. 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Hanging and floating are states of ambivalence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-bourgeois/horizontality-is-a-desire-to-give-up-to-sleep-verticality-is-an/) [Louise Bourgeois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-bourgeois/) [Browse all 121 Ambivalence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambivalence/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "And if sun comes / How shall we greet him? / Shall we not dread him, / Shall we not fear him / After so lengthy a / Session with shade?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Gwendolyn Brooks" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwendolyn-brooks/and-if-sun-comes-how-shall-we-greet-him-shall-we-not-dread-him-shall/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ambivalence" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwendolyn-brooks/and-if-sun-comes-how-shall-we-greet-him-shall-we-not-dread-him-shall/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02d/gwendolyn-brooks-5624_ambivalence_and-if-sun-comes-how-shall-we-greet-him_498050.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02d/gwendolyn-brooks-5624_ambivalence_and-if-sun-comes-how-shall-we-greet-him_498050.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02d/gwendolyn-brooks-5624_ambivalence_and-if-sun-comes-how-shall-we-greet-him_498050.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“And if sun comes / How shall we greet him? / Shall we not dread him, / Shall we not fear him / After so…” — Gwendolyn Brooks", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Gwendolyn Brooks", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwendolyn-brooks/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "And if sun comes / How...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwendolyn-brooks/and-if-sun-comes-how-shall-we-greet-him-shall-we-not-dread-him-shall/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwendolyn-brooks/and-if-sun-comes-how-shall-we-greet-him-shall-we-not-dread-him-shall/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```