Cities Quote by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
“White swan of cities slumbering in thy nest . . . White phantom city, whose untrodden streets Are rivers, and whose pavements are the shifting Shadows of the palaces and strips of sky.”
About This Quote
Source Poem: “The City of the White Swan”, 1855, literary anthology
The poem paints a surreal city where streets become rivers and shadows shift like palaces, evoking mystery.
In simple terms: Imaginary city blurs reality and dream.
Explore hidden layers of place.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- travel writing
- visual arts
- urban planning
- dream analysis
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- What does the city symbolize for you?
- How do you perceive hidden dimensions in everyday life?
May be too abstract for concrete insight.