Growing old Quote by Jack Gilbert
““A DESCRIPTION OF HAPPINESS IN KOBENHAVN All this windless day snow fell into the King's Garden where I walked, perfecting and growing old, abandoning one by one everybody: randomly in love with the paradise furnace of my mind. Now I sit in the dark, dreaming of a marble sun and its strictness. This is to tell you I am not coming back. To tell you instead of my private life among people who must wrestle their hearts in order to feel anything, as though it were unnatural. What I master by day still lapses in the night. But I go on with the cargo cult, blindly feeling the snow come down, learning to flower by tightening.””
About This Quote
Source Poem: Unpublished, 1990s
The speaker reflects on isolation, longing, and the futility of trying to find meaning in a world that feels artificial and cold.
In simple terms: Feeling disconnected and resigned.
Key Takeaway
Accept imperfection, seek authentic connection.
Themes
isolation
longing
existential
artificiality
acceptance
Mood
melancholic
reflective
Type
poetic
philosophical
When to use this quote
- personal reflection
- creative writing
- nighttime contemplation
Key Concepts
existentialism
psychology
artistic expression
Questions to Reflect On
- What does “cargo cult” symbolize for you?
- How can one find meaning amid artificiality?
A Different Perspective
The poetic imagery may obscure practical insight.
