--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When sorrow comes, they come not single…" description: "\"“When sorrow comes, they come not single spies, but in battalions. I've allies in heaven, Jack, i've commrades in hell...say hello for me...”\" — James ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a93/james-o-barr-26612_allies_when-sorrow-comes-they-come-not-single-s_1330854.png" --- # When sorrow comes, they come not single spies, but in… ![“When sorrow comes, they come not single spies, but in battalions. I've allies in heaven, Jack, i've commrades in hell...say hello for me...” quote by James O'Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a93/james-o-barr-26612_allies_when-sorrow-comes-they-come-not-single-s_1330854.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a93/james-o-barr-26612_allies_when-sorrow-comes-they-come-not-single-s_1330854.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a93/james-o-barr-26612_allies_when-sorrow-comes-they-come-not-single-s_1330854.png) > ““When sorrow comes, they come not single spies, but in battalions. I've allies in heaven, Jack, i've commrades in hell...say hello for me...”” [James O'Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-o-barr/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Sorrow arrives in overwhelming waves, but allies exist both in heaven and hell. **In simple terms:** Sorrow comes in groups; help is everywhere. Key Takeaway Seek support in all realms. Themes grief support duality Mood somber hopeful Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - loss - healing - community building Key Concepts spirituality friendship Questions to Reflect On - Who can you turn to in tough times? - How do you balance spiritual and practical support? A Different Perspective Relying on supernatural allies may overlook practical help. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Allies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/allies/) [Allies Heaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/allies-heaven-4465501/) [Sorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sorrow/) [Sorrow Comes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sorrow-comes-316541/) [Spies Battalions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spies-battalions-4465502/) [The-crow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/the-crow-186078/) ## Related quotes > [“I know why Jesus wept Motherfucker”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-o-barr/i-know-why-jesus-wept-motherfucker/) [James O'Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-o-barr/) > [When sorrows come, they come not single spies, but in battalions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/when-sorrows-come-they-come-not-single-spies-but-in-battalions/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“A man cannot eat more than three meals a day, or live in more than one house at a time. If you have what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-man-cannot-eat-more-than-three-meals-a-day-or-live-in-more-than-one/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Paint your face and paint your smile...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-crow/paint-your-face-and-paint-your-smile/) [The Crow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-crow/) > [In this sad world of ours, sorrow comes to all; and to the young, it comes with bitterest agony because it takes them unawares.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/in-this-sad-world-of-ours-sorrow-comes-to-all-and-to-the-young-it/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [We have no right to ask when sorrow comes, Why did this happen to me? unless we ask the same question for every moment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-have-no-right-to-ask-when-sorrow-comes-why-did-this-happen-to-me/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“You can’t reject your sorrow, it always comes knocking when you least want it and it does bring enough reinforcements to wear you down.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-honovich/you-can-t-reject-your-sorrow-it-always-comes-knocking-when-you-least/) [Patrick Honovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-honovich/) > [To each his suff'rings; all are men, Condemn'd alike to groan,- The tender for another's pain, Th' unfeeling for his own. Yet ah! why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-gray/to-each-his-suff-rings-all-are-men-condemn-d-alike-to-groan-the-2/) [Thomas Gray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-gray/) > [“In most women's lives, everything, even the greatest sorrow, comes down to a question of 'I haven't got a thing to wear'.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-proust/in-most-women-s-lives-everything-even-the-greatest-sorrow-comes-down/) [Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-proust/) > [Sorrow comes in great waves...but rolls over us, and though it may almost smother us, it leaves us. And we know that if it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/sorrow-comes-in-great-waves-but-rolls-over-us-and-though-it-may/) [Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/) > [Whenever sorrow comes, be kind to it. 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Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-g-wilson/) > [ \[L\]ike thee to those in sorrow, Comes to bid a sweet good-morrow To the rough year just awake In its cradle on the brake.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/l-ike-thee-to-those-in-sorrow-comes-to-bid-a-sweet-good-morrow-to-the/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [When sorrow comes, then we do not welcome him \| but it will definitely leave happily](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/when-sorrow-comes-then-we-do-not-welcome-him-but-it-will-definitely/) [Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/) ## More by James O'Barr > [“There are no boundries between good and evil where love is concerned.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-o-barr/there-are-no-boundries-between-good-and-evil-where-love-is-concerned/) [James O'Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-o-barr/) > [Life is just a dream on the way to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-o-barr/life-is-just-a-dream-on-the-way-to-death/) [James O'Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-o-barr/) > [Fear is for the enemy. Fear and bullets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-o-barr/fear-is-for-the-enemy-fear-and-bullets/) [James O'Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-o-barr/) > [Funboy: Pal, something is seriously wrong with you. The Crow: Atrocity has that effect on me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-o-barr/funboy-pal-something-is-seriously-wrong-with-you-the-crow-atrocity/) [James O'Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-o-barr/) > [It can't rain all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-o-barr/it-can-t-rain-all-the-time/) [James O'Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-o-barr/) > [So the crow spirals down through a collapsed dream and the only sound it makes in like a concave scream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-o-barr/so-the-crow-spirals-down-through-a-collapsed-dream-and-the-only-sound/) [James O'Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-o-barr/) > [“I know why Jesus wept Motherfucker”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-o-barr/i-know-why-jesus-wept-motherfucker/) [James O'Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-o-barr/) > [“Nothing is trivial.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-o-barr/nothing-is-trivial/) [James O'Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-o-barr/) > [Death, like virtue, has its degrees.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-o-barr/death-like-virtue-has-its-degrees/) [James O'Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-o-barr/) > [There is a man, playing a violin, and the strings are the nerves in his own arm...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-o-barr/there-is-a-man-playing-a-violin-and-the-strings-are-the-nerves-in-his/) [James O'Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-o-barr/) > [“Sarah: "Buildings burn, people die, but real love is forever...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-o-barr/sarah-buildings-burn-people-die-but-real-love-is-forever/) [James O'Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-o-barr/) > [If the people we love are stolen from us, the way to have them live on is to never stop loving them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-o-barr/if-the-people-we-love-are-stolen-from-us-the-way-to-have-them-live-on-2/) [James O'Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-o-barr/) > [“Sometimes I dream of sleepiness, sometimes I feel like I'm alive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-o-barr/sometimes-i-dream-of-sleepiness-sometimes-i-feel-like-i-m-alive/) [James O'Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-o-barr/) > [It's not death if you refuse it... It is if you accept it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-o-barr/it-s-not-death-if-you-refuse-it-it-is-if-you-accept-it/) [James O'Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-o-barr/) > [“ICH BENDÜRFNES JESUS CHRISTUS HANGELENK MEIN GEBEIN WEINEN ODLAND, KRIEGSBIET, LEBENWEISE GESCHWINDIGKEIT, HALBMESSER, ABSTEIG GNAPENSTOB”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-o-barr/ich-bend-rfnes-jesus-christus-hangelenk-mein-gebein-weinen-odland/) [James O'Barr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-o-barr/) [Explore all 20 James O'Barr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-o-barr/) ## More Allies quotes > [I genuinely did not expect more than half our nation to choose to walk away from our long-term allies into the arms of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-reade/i-genuinely-did-not-expect-more-than-half-our-nation-to-choose-to/) [Brian Reade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-reade/) > [If the women in the factories stopped work for twenty minutes, the Allies would lose the war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-joffre/if-the-women-in-the-factories-stopped-work-for-twenty-minutes-the/) [Joseph Joffre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-joffre/) > [As far as Japan is concerned, I want to help all of our allies, but we are losing billions and billions of dollars. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/as-far-as-japan-is-concerned-i-want-to-help-all-of-our-allies-but-we/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [ No wonder that Churchill described this effort \[the British codebreakers working at Bletchley Park\] as "Britian"s secret weapon," a weapon far more effective than… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-hilton/no-wonder-that-churchill-described-this-effort-the-british/) [Peter Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-hilton/) > [One of our great allies at present is the Church itself. Do not misunderstand me. I do not mean the Church as we see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/one-of-our-great-allies-at-present-is-the-church-itself-do-not/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Our security depends on having good relationships with our allies. Donald Trump mainly shows contempt for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-wolfowitz/our-security-depends-on-having-good-relationships-with-our-allies/) [Paul Wolfowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-wolfowitz/) > [So Americans understand the costs of war. Yet as a country, we will never tolerate our security being threatened, nor stand idly by when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-americans-understand-the-costs-of-war-yet-as-a-country-we-will/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [What would your life be like if your body were your friend and ally?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christiane-northrup/what-would-your-life-be-like-if-your-body-were-your-friend-and-ally/) [Christiane Northrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christiane-northrup/) > [“Bacteria and viruses were the most effective allies.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eduardo-hughes-galeano/bacteria-and-viruses-were-the-most-effective-allies/) [Eduardo Hughes Galeano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eduardo-hughes-galeano/) > [When black women are down with you and in your corner, you have an ally that will move Heaven and Earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-perry/when-black-women-are-down-with-you-and-in-your-corner-you-have-an/) [Tyler Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-perry/) > [There is an irreplaceable ally. It's called the United States of America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-netanyahu/there-is-an-irreplaceable-ally-it-s-called-the-united-states-of/) [Benjamin Netanyahu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-netanyahu/) > [It would have been easier to fight alone with inadequate forces than to have to accept...responsibility for our ally's lack of fighting qualities and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-kesselring/it-would-have-been-easier-to-fight-alone-with-inadequate-forces-than/) [Albert Kesselring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-kesselring/) > [It isn't until you begin to fight in your own cause that you become really committed to winning and become a genuine ally of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-morgan/it-isn-t-until-you-begin-to-fight-in-your-own-cause-that-you-become/) [Robin Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-morgan/) > [ Again, I hear almost everyday from atheists who write off religion as primitive, premodern nonsense. 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