--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: God In his malodorous brain what slugs…" description: "\"“God In his malodorous brain what slugs and mire, Lanthorned in his oblique eyes, guttering burned! His body lodged a rat where men nursed souls. The w..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa9/isaac-rosenberg-29877_souls_god-in-his-malodorous-brain-what-slugs-a_2667380.jpg" --- # God In his malodorous brain what slugs and mire… ![“God In his malodorous brain what slugs and mire, Lanthorned in his oblique eyes, guttering burned! His body lodged a rat where men nursed souls. The world flashed grape-green eyes of a foiled cat To him. On fragments of an old shrunk power, On shy and maimed, on women wrung awry, He lay, a…” quote by Isaac Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa9/isaac-rosenberg-29877_souls_god-in-his-malodorous-brain-what-slugs-a_2667380.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa9/isaac-rosenberg-29877_souls_god-in-his-malodorous-brain-what-slugs-a_2667380.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa9/isaac-rosenberg-29877_souls_god-in-his-malodorous-brain-what-slugs-a_2667380.jpg) > ““God In his malodorous brain what slugs and mire, Lanthorned in his oblique eyes, guttering burned! His body lodged a rat where men nursed souls. The world flashed grape-green eyes of a foiled cat To him. On fragments of an old shrunk power, On shy and maimed, on women wrung awry, He lay, a bullying hulk, to crush them more. But when one, fearless, turned and clawed like bronze, Cringing was easy to blunt these stern paws, And he would weigh the heavier on those after. Who rests in God's mean flattery now? Your wealth Is but his cunning to make death more hard. Your iron sinews take more pain in breaking. And he has made the market for your beauty Too poor to buy, although you die to sell. Only that he has never heard of sleep; And when the cats come out the rats are sly. Here we are safe till he slinks in at dawn But he has gnawed a fibre from strange roots, And in the morning some pale wonder ceases. Things are not strange and strange things are forgetful. Ah! if the day were arid, somehow lost Out of us, but it is as hair of us, And only in the hush no wind stirs it. And in the light vague trouble lifts and breathes, And restlessness still shadows the lost ways. The fingers shut on voices that pass through, Where blind farewells are taken easily … Ah! this miasma of a rotting God!”” [Isaac Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-rosenberg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A chaotic, vivid critique of divine decay, human suffering, and the futility of seeking comfort in a corrupt world. **In simple terms:** Divine decay causes human misery and futile hope. Key Takeaway Recognize decay, seek authentic meaning. Themes decay human suffering divine critique existential dread Mood somber reflective poetic Type literary philosophical existential When to use this quote - war trauma - spiritual crisis - artistic expression - philosophical reflection Key Concepts mythology nihilism symbolism Questions to Reflect On - What does “rotting God” symbolize for you? - How can we find hope amid perceived divine decay? A Different Perspective The poem’s dense imagery may obscure its core message for some readers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [God Malodorous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-malodorous-2475242/) [God Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-mean-456352/) [Green Eye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/green-eye/) [Rests God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rests-god-676099/) [Rotting God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rotting-god-2475243/) [Souls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/souls/) ## Related quotes > [You can't truly rest until every area in your life rests in God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/you-can-t-truly-rest-until-every-area-in-your-life-rests-in-god/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [“The more my trust rests in God, the less I trust myself. If we truly desire to live the crucified life, we must get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-w-tozer/the-more-my-trust-rests-in-god-the-less-i-trust-myself-if-we-truly/) [A.W. Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-w-tozer/) > [Our identity rests in God's relentless tenderness for us revealed in Jesus Christ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brennan-manning/our-identity-rests-in-god-s-relentless-tenderness-for-us-revealed-in/) [Brennan Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brennan-manning/) > [God did His most magnificent work while Adam was asleep. This episode contains and important insight: When man rests, God works.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-sweet/god-did-his-most-magnificent-work-while-adam-was-asleep-this-episode/) [Leonard Sweet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-sweet/) > [“If you do not listen to theology, that will not mean that you have no ideas about God. It will mean that you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/if-you-do-not-listen-to-theology-that-will-not-mean-that-you-have-no/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“He called me a jew, and in a heated fashion, offensively. So I, without deviating from plain facts in the least, told him his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-joyce/he-called-me-a-jew-and-in-a-heated-fashion-offensively-so-i-without/) [James Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-joyce/) > [“Nobody ever called me any OH MY GOD you mean that guy that one that set himself on FIRE !" "As I said, fanatics."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joss-whedon/nobody-ever-called-me-any-oh-my-god-you-mean-that-guy-that-one-that/) [Joss Whedon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joss-whedon/) > [“In other words, The­ol­ogy is prac­ti­cal: espe­cially now. In the old days, when there was less edu­ca­tion and dis­cus­sion, per­haps it was pos­si­ble to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/in-other-words-the-ol-ogy-is-prac-ti-cal-espe-cially-now-in-the-old/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [“I began to think about God. I mean, the notion of a Supreme Being existing somewhere began to creep into my private thoughts. Not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-segal/i-began-to-think-about-god-i-mean-the-notion-of-a-supreme-being/) [Erich Segal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-segal/) > [“When I speak of God, I mean that god who prevented man from putting forth his hand and taking also of the fruit of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-g-ingersoll/when-i-speak-of-god-i-mean-that-god-who-prevented-man-from-putting/) [Robert G. Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-g-ingersoll/) > [“He'd sit and listen to Nana's Jesus stories all day, but when she turned to the Old Testament prophets, Louis Valentine's little face would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-mccaig/he-d-sit-and-listen-to-nana-s-jesus-stories-all-day-but-when-she/) [Donald McCaig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-mccaig/) > [We must see the face of the Lord … There are things that God says to me that I know must take place. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/smith-wigglesworth/we-must-see-the-face-of-the-lord-there-are-things-that-god-says-to-me/) [Smith Wigglesworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/smith-wigglesworth/) > [I was six when I saw that everything was God, and my hair stood up, and all, Teddy said. It was on a Sunday,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-was-six-when-i-saw-that-everything-was-god-and-my-hair-stood-up-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“You're pretty great, God, and I mean that, but if it were up to me - like if I happened to be YOU -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregor-collins/you-re-pretty-great-god-and-i-mean-that-but-if-it-were-up-to-me-like/) [Gregor Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregor-collins/) > [“She stood and tried hard not to believe in God. It seemed mean and petty to have more belief in God when things were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-galsworthy/she-stood-and-tried-hard-not-to-believe-in-god-it-seemed-mean-and/) [John Galsworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-galsworthy/) ## More by Isaac Rosenberg > [“The Immortals I killed them, but they would not die. Yea! all the day and all the night For them I could not rest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-rosenberg/the-immortals-i-killed-them-but-they-would-not-die-yea-all-the-day/) [Isaac Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-rosenberg/) > [Here lies one not long dead; His dark hearing caught our far wheels, and the choked soul stretched weak hands To reach the living…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-rosenberg/here-lies-one-not-long-dead-his-dark-hearing-caught-our-far-wheels/) [Isaac Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-rosenberg/) > [Nobody ever told me what to read, or ever put poetry in my way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-rosenberg/nobody-ever-told-me-what-to-read-or-ever-put-poetry-in-my-way/) [Isaac Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-rosenberg/) > [You mustn't forget the circumstances I have been brought up in, the little education I have had.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-rosenberg/you-mustn-t-forget-the-circumstances-i-have-been-brought-up-in-the/) [Isaac Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-rosenberg/) > [I can only say that one's individual situation is more real and important to oneself than the devastations of fates and empires especially when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-rosenberg/i-can-only-say-that-one-s-individual-situation-is-more-real-and/) [Isaac Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-rosenberg/) > [Poetical appreciation is only newly bursting on me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-rosenberg/poetical-appreciation-is-only-newly-bursting-on-me/) [Isaac Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-rosenberg/) > [I will not leave a corner of my consciousness covered up, but saturate myself with the strange and extraordinary new conditions of this life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-rosenberg/i-will-not-leave-a-corner-of-my-consciousness-covered-up-but-saturate/) [Isaac Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-rosenberg/) > [I cant look at things in the simple, large way that great poets do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-rosenberg/i-cant-look-at-things-in-the-simple-large-way-that-great-poets-do/) [Isaac Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-rosenberg/) > [The darkness crumbles away It is the same old druid Time as ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-rosenberg/the-darkness-crumbles-away-it-is-the-same-old-druid-time-as-ever/) [Isaac Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-rosenberg/) > [I despair of ever writing excellent poetry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-rosenberg/i-despair-of-ever-writing-excellent-poetry/) [Isaac Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-rosenberg/) > [Being by the nature of my upbringing, all my energies having been directed to one channel of activity, crippled from other activities and made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-rosenberg/being-by-the-nature-of-my-upbringing-all-my-energies-having-been/) [Isaac Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-rosenberg/) > [Earth has waited for them, All the time of their growth Fretting for their decay: Now she has them at last.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-rosenberg/earth-has-waited-for-them-all-the-time-of-their-growth-fretting-for/) [Isaac Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-rosenberg/) > [I can't look at things in the simple, large way that great poets do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-rosenberg/i-can-t-look-at-things-in-the-simple-large-way-that-great-poets-do/) [Isaac Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-rosenberg/) > [You mustnt forget the circumstances I have been brought up in, the little education I have had.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-rosenberg/you-mustnt-forget-the-circumstances-i-have-been-brought-up-in-the/) [Isaac Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-rosenberg/) > [I never joined the army for patriotic reasons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-rosenberg/i-never-joined-the-army-for-patriotic-reasons/) [Isaac Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-rosenberg/) [Explore all 18 Isaac Rosenberg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-rosenberg/) ## More Souls quotes > [Alone in a world, With millions of souls Walking in circles Trapped in their dreams unhealthy, unclean walking in circles, now do not disturb…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-bennington/alone-in-a-world-with-millions-of-souls-walking-in-circles-trapped-in/) [Chester Bennington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-bennington/) > [Suffering did different things to different people...Some souls became tempered, unshakable in their faith, while others became twisted and mis-shapen, throwing off all connection…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-ragen/suffering-did-different-things-to-different-people-some-souls-became/) [Naomi Ragen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-ragen/) > [“Which people take the time to care for their souls, these days? I reckon not many. But...hear this: I think that maybe in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-fletcher/which-people-take-the-time-to-care-for-their-souls-these-days-i/) [Susan Fletcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-fletcher/) > [Cover that bosom that I must not see: souls are wounded by such things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moliere/cover-that-bosom-that-i-must-not-see-souls-are-wounded-by-such-things/) [Moliere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moliere/) > [I believe humans have souls, and I believe in the conservation of souls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-believe-humans-have-souls-and-i-believe-in-the-conservation-of-souls/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [ “\[W\]e must learn to accommodate ourselves to the discovery that some of those cunningly-fashioned instruments called human souls have only a very limited range… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/w-e-must-learn-to-accommodate-ourselves-to-the-discovery-that-some-of/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [He is more myself than I am. Whatever our two souls are made of, his and mine are the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-bronte/he-is-more-myself-than-i-am-whatever-our-two-souls-are-made-of-his/) [Emily Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-bronte/) > [Our body is simply a social structure made of many souls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/our-body-is-simply-a-social-structure-made-of-many-souls/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [I find very reasonable the Celtic belief that the souls of our dearly departed are trapped in some inferior being, in an animal, aplant,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-proust/i-find-very-reasonable-the-celtic-belief-that-the-souls-of-our-dearly/) [Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-proust/) > [“Friends know the patterns of our souls.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-buchanan/friends-know-the-patterns-of-our-souls/) [Ruth Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-buchanan/) > [“death is predestined for all mortals. Souls live forever, but the body does not. Unless you are immortal, both the soul and body are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yelle-hughes/death-is-predestined-for-all-mortals-souls-live-forever-but-the-body/) [Yelle Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yelle-hughes/) > [Souls love. That’s what souls do. Egos don’t, but souls do. Become a soul, look around, and you’ll be amazed-all the beings around you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/souls-love-that-s-what-souls-do-egos-don-t-but-souls-do-become-a-soul/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [When a mother or father is willing to pay smugglers and risk the lives of their own children by sending them on a dangerous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-sharpton/when-a-mother-or-father-is-willing-to-pay-smugglers-and-risk-the/) [Al Sharpton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-sharpton/) > [“What about our souls?' Mehmed whispered. Before Lada walked out, she paused at the door. 'Souls and thrones are irreconcilable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiersten-white/what-about-our-souls-mehmed-whispered-before-lada-walked-out-she/) [Kiersten White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiersten-white/) > [“A thousand souls could not tear your heart from me...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-smith/a-thousand-souls-could-not-tear-your-heart-from-me/) [Gloria Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-smith/) [Browse all 1,198 Souls quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/souls/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“God In his malodorous brain what slugs and mire, Lanthorned in his oblique eyes, guttering burned! His body lodged a rat where men nursed souls. The world flashed grape-green eyes of a foiled cat To him. On fragments of an old shrunk power, On shy and maimed, on women wrung awry, He lay, a bullying hulk, to crush them more. But when one, fearless, turned and clawed like bronze, Cringing was easy to blunt these stern paws, And he would weigh the heavier on those after. Who rests in God's mean flattery now? Your wealth Is but his cunning to make death more hard. Your iron sinews take more pain in breaking. And he has made the market for your beauty Too poor to buy, although you die to sell. Only that he has never heard of sleep; And when the cats come out the rats are sly. Here we are safe till he slinks in at dawn But he has gnawed a fibre from strange roots, And in the morning some pale wonder ceases. Things are not strange and strange things are forgetful. Ah! if the day were arid, somehow lost Out of us, but it is as hair of us, And only in the hush no wind stirs it. And in the light vague trouble lifts and breathes, And restlessness still shadows the lost ways. 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