Common Quote by Irvin S. Cobb
“Reelfoot is, and has always been, a lake of mystery.In places it is bottomless. Other places the skeletons of the cypress-trees that went down when the earth sank, still stand upright so that if the sun shines from the right quarter, and the water is less muddy than common, a man, peering face downward into its depths, sees, or thinks he sees, down below him the bare top-limbs upstretching like drowned men's fingers, all coated with the mud of years and bandaged with pennons of the green lake slime.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Lake of Mystery by Irvin S. Cobb, 1912
The lake is portrayed as an enigmatic, ever‑changing place where hidden depths and ancient remnants evoke awe and mystery.
In simple terms: The lake is mysterious and ancient.
Key Takeaway
Observe and respect nature’s unknowns.
Themes
mystery
nature
history
perception
Mood
wonderful
reflective
Type
descriptive
poetic
When to use this quote
- exploring wetlands
- photography
- scientific study
- storytelling
Key Concepts
environmental symbolism
memory
time
decay
Questions to Reflect On
- What does the lake symbolize for you?
- How do hidden histories shape present understanding?
A Different Perspective
Human perception can be limited by visibility and bias.
![“Neither Italian fascism nor German national "socialism" have anything in common with such a [Soviet socialistic] society, primarily because private ownership of factories, plants, lands, banks, means of transportation, etc., remain untouched there, and, therefore, capitalism in Germany and Italy…” quote by Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/411/joseph-stalin-1734_capitalism_neither-italian-fascism-nor-german-natio_1430.jpg)
