Behinds Quote by James Salter
“WE DASH THE BLACK RIVER, ITS flats smooth as stone. Not a ship, not a dinghy, not one cry of white. The water lies broken, cracked from the wind. This great estuary is wide, endless. The river is brackish, blue with the cold. It passes beneath us blurring. The sea birds hang above it, they wheel, disappear. We flash the wide river, a dream of the past. The deeps fall behind, the bottom is paling the surface, we rush by the shallows, boats beached for winter, desolate piers. And on wings like the gulls, soar up, turn, look back.”
About This Quote
Source Poem: The Black River, 1970
The river is portrayed as a vast, cold, and desolate landscape, reflecting both physical and emotional emptiness.
In simple terms: The river feels endless, cold, and empty.
Key Takeaway
Recognize the beauty in stark, solitary moments.
Themes
nature
solitude
reflection
Mood
melancholic
contemplative
Type
poetic
philosophical
When to use this quote
- hiking
- photography
- writing
- meditation
- environmental study
Key Concepts
impermanence
loneliness
memory
Questions to Reflect On
- What emotions arise when confronting vast emptiness?
- How can we find meaning in desolate settings?
A Different Perspective
Such starkness can evoke despair if not balanced with hope.
