--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: And now at last authentic word I bring…" description: "\"“And now at last authentic word I bring, Witnessed by every dead and living thing; Good tidings of great joy for you, for all: There is no God; no Fien..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f9/james-thomson-25111_grave_and-now-at-last-authentic-word-i-bring-w_281155.jpg" --- # And now at last authentic word I bring, Witnessed by every… ![“And now at last authentic word I bring, Witnessed by every dead and living thing; Good tidings of great joy for you, for all: There is no God; no Fiend with names divine Made us and tortures us; if we must pine, It is to satiate no Being's gall. It was the dark delusion of a dream, That living…” quote by James Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f9/james-thomson-25111_grave_and-now-at-last-authentic-word-i-bring-w_281155.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f9/james-thomson-25111_grave_and-now-at-last-authentic-word-i-bring-w_281155.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4f9/james-thomson-25111_grave_and-now-at-last-authentic-word-i-bring-w_281155.jpg) > ““And now at last authentic word I bring, Witnessed by every dead and living thing; Good tidings of great joy for you, for all: There is no God; no Fiend with names divine Made us and tortures us; if we must pine, It is to satiate no Being's gall. It was the dark delusion of a dream, That living Person conscious and supreme, Whom we must curse for cursing us with life; Whom we must curse because the life he gave Could not be buried in the quiet grave, Could not be killed by poison or the knife. This little life is all we must endure, The grave's most holy peace is ever sure, We fall asleep and never wake again; Nothing is of us but the mouldering flesh, Whose elements dissolve and merge afresh In earth, air, water, plants, and other men. We finish thus; and all our wretched race Shall finish with its cycle, and give place To other beings with their own time-doom: Infinite aeons ere our kind began; Infinite aeons after the last man Has joined the mammoth in earth's tomb and womb.”” [James Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thomson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The poem reflects on humanity’s insignificance and the inevitable cycle of life and death, rejecting divine purpose and embracing natural decay. **In simple terms:** Life is fleeting and part of a larger natural cycle. Key Takeaway Accept mortality and find peace in nature’s continuity. Themes mortality existentialism nature cycle nihilism Mood somber reflective philosophical Type poetic existential meditative When to use this quote - grief - philosophical contemplation - acceptance of death - environmental reflection Key Concepts cosmology determinism impermanence Questions to Reflect On - How do you find meaning without belief in a higher power? - What comforts you in the idea of returning to nature? A Different Perspective Life’s meaning is questioned, but the poem offers no clear alternative purpose. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Authentic Word](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authentic-word-2727118/) [Divine Tortures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/divine-tortures-2727119/) [Endure Grave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/endure-grave-2727121/) [Grave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grave/) [Grave Holy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grave-holy-2727120/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Little Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/little-life/) ## Related quotes > [Many people think that the Bible is the authentic word of God and they worship the Bible, making it an idol...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-watts/many-people-think-that-the-bible-is-the-authentic-word-of-god-and/) [Alan Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-watts/) > [“Our Mother feedeth thus our little life, That we may in turn feed her with our death”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thomson/our-mother-feedeth-thus-our-little-life-that-we-may-in-turn-feed-her/) [James Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thomson/) > [The thing about Janis is that she just looked so unique, an ugly duckling dressed as a princess, fearlessly so. 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He is this strange little man, long dead, who lived his narrow little life, and somehow managed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anchee-min/do-you-know-who-karl-marx-is-he-is-this-strange-little-man-long-dead/) [Anchee Min](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anchee-min/) > [“LARRY--(with increasing bitter intensity, more as if he were fighting with himself than with Hickey) I'm afraid to live, am I?--and even more afraid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-o-neill/larry-with-increasing-bitter-intensity-more-as-if-he-were-fighting/) [Eugene O'Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-o-neill/) > [“She glanced pointedly at the flopping tadpole. "What?" "Take it back." "You're kidding, right?" he said disbelievingly. "Do we have time?" He considered that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/she-glanced-pointedly-at-the-flopping-tadpole-what-take-it-back-you/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [“But look at the aspirations of that rabbit and look at his failing. A little life trying. And all the time it was hopeless.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/but-look-at-the-aspirations-of-that-rabbit-and-look-at-his-failing-a/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [“To hell with it. What was the use trying to make safe and sure our little life? Sooner or later the great wave must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-maria-remarque/to-hell-with-it-what-was-the-use-trying-to-make-safe-and-sure-our/) [Erich Maria Remarque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-maria-remarque/) > [“Little Life Lesson 40: If you are lucky enough to vist the Fantasyland Diner, try to stay as long as possible because their desserts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michele-jaffe/little-life-lesson-40-if-you-are-lucky-enough-to-vist-the-fantasyland/) [Michele Jaffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michele-jaffe/) > [“Very little in life if fair, Susannah”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/very-little-in-life-if-fair-susannah/) [Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) > [Living requires but little life; doing requires much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-joubert/living-requires-but-little-life-doing-requires-much/) [Joseph Joubert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-joubert/) > [“Cocoon's cry to first fly, Travels thousands of miles— So much in so little life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-negi/cocoon-s-cry-to-first-fly-travels-thousands-of-miles-so-much-in-so/) [Ritu Negi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-negi/) ## More by James Thomson > [I know no subject more elevating, more amazing, more ready to the poetical enthusiasm, the philosophical reflection, and the moral sentiment than the works…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thomson/i-know-no-subject-more-elevating-more-amazing-more-ready-to-the/) [James Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thomson/) > [Rule, Britannia, rule the waves; Britons never will be slaves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thomson/rule-britannia-rule-the-waves-britons-never-will-be-slaves/) [James Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thomson/) > [“Surely I write not for the hopeful young, Or those who deem their happiness of worth, Or such as pasture and grow fat among…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thomson/surely-i-write-not-for-the-hopeful-young-or-those-who-deem-their/) [James Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thomson/) > [“As I came through the desert, thus it was...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thomson/as-i-came-through-the-desert-thus-it-was/) [James Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thomson/) > [That which makes people dissatisfied with their condition, is the chimerical idea they form of the happiness of others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thomson/that-which-makes-people-dissatisfied-with-their-condition-is-the/) [James Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thomson/) > [“Our Mother feedeth thus our little life, That we may in turn feed her with our death”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thomson/our-mother-feedeth-thus-our-little-life-that-we-may-in-turn-feed-her/) [James Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thomson/) > [“How the moon triumphs through the endless nights! How the stars throb and glitter as they wheel Their thick processions of supernal lights Around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thomson/how-the-moon-triumphs-through-the-endless-nights-how-the-stars-throb/) [James Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thomson/) > [But who can paint like Nature? Can imagination boast, amid its gay creation, hues like hers?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thomson/but-who-can-paint-like-nature-can-imagination-boast-amid-its-gay/) [James Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thomson/) > [“Who is most wretched in this dolorous place? I think myself; yet I would rather be My miserable self than He, than He Who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thomson/who-is-most-wretched-in-this-dolorous-place-i-think-myself-yet-i/) [James Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thomson/) > [Ingratitude is treason to mankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thomson/ingratitude-is-treason-to-mankind/) [James Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thomson/) > [Health is the vital principle of bliss, and exercise, of health.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thomson/health-is-the-vital-principle-of-bliss-and-exercise-of-health/) [James Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thomson/) > [I think a bishop who doesn't give offence to anyone is probably not a good bishop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thomson/i-think-a-bishop-who-doesn-t-give-offence-to-anyone-is-probably-not-a/) [James Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thomson/) > [Statues and pictures and verse may be grand, But they are not the Life for which they stand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thomson/statues-and-pictures-and-verse-may-be-grand-but-they-are-not-the-life/) [James Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thomson/) > [Give a man a horse he can ride, give a man a boat he can sail; and his rank and wealth, his strength and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thomson/give-a-man-a-horse-he-can-ride-give-a-man-a-boat-he-can-sail-and-his/) [James Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thomson/) > [Cruel as death, and hungry as the grave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-thomson/cruel-as-death-and-hungry-as-the-grave/) [James Thomson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thomson/) [Explore all 23 James Thomson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-thomson/) ## More Grave quotes > [Susan B. Anthony must be turning in her grave if she knew that millions of women who have the right to vote are not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-m-kunin/susan-b-anthony-must-be-turning-in-her-grave-if-she-knew-that/) [Madeleine M. Kunin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-m-kunin/) > [“If Abraham Lincoln were alive now, he'd roll over in his grave.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-ford/if-abraham-lincoln-were-alive-now-he-d-roll-over-in-his-grave/) [Gerald Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerald-ford/) > [Leisure without study is death, and the grave of a living man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/leisure-without-study-is-death-and-the-grave-of-a-living-man/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [“within yourself, you became a grave for her as you were a grave for Chet, and you carried your dead unquietly within you. —”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stegner/within-yourself-you-became-a-grave-for-her-as-you-were-a-grave-for/) [Wallace Stegner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stegner/) > [“I've never written a quote I feel would be suitable for my gravestone. Wouldn't it be ironic if it were this one? Oh, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-lilly/i-ve-never-written-a-quote-i-feel-would-be-suitable-for-my-gravestone/) [Ryan Lilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-lilly/) > [Man is a noble animal, splendid in ashes, and pompous in the grave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-browne/man-is-a-noble-animal-splendid-in-ashes-and-pompous-in-the-grave/) [Thomas Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-browne/) > [That's wisdom you can take to the grave, and dig up when you need it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-shusterman/that-s-wisdom-you-can-take-to-the-grave-and-dig-up-when-you-need-it/) [Neal Shusterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-shusterman/) > [You can run from the grave, but you can't hide.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeaniene-frost/you-can-run-from-the-grave-but-you-can-t-hide/) [Jeaniene Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeaniene-frost/) > [I always thought I'd like my own tombstone to be blank. No epitaph, and no name. Well, actually, I'd like it to say 'figment.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-warhol/i-always-thought-i-d-like-my-own-tombstone-to-be-blank-no-epitaph-and/) [Andy Warhol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-warhol/) > [If you get yourself killed, I'll find your grave and spit on it," she threatened.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-garwood/if-you-get-yourself-killed-i-ll-find-your-grave-and-spit-on-it-she/) [Julie Garwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-garwood/) > [“Some people die and you realize that the only mark they left on earth are the tomb stones under which they lie. The impacts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/some-people-die-and-you-realize-that-the-only-mark-they-left-on-earth/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [The job of the government - and my responsibility - is to help people live healthier lives. The framework is about giving local authorities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lansley/the-job-of-the-government-and-my-responsibility-is-to-help-people/) [Andrew Lansley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lansley/) > [“Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world Like a Colossus; and we petty men Walk under his huge legs, and peep about To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/why-man-he-doth-bestride-the-narrow-world-like-a-colossus-and-we/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [If I'm taking a picture of Brancusi's grave, I know that there's something of him, of his mortal remains, beneath my feet, and there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/if-i-m-taking-a-picture-of-brancusi-s-grave-i-know-that-there-s/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [Keep digging, Flynn. Six feet makes a grave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devon-monk/keep-digging-flynn-six-feet-makes-a-grave/) [Devon Monk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devon-monk/) [Browse all 723 Grave quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grave/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“And now at last authentic word I bring, Witnessed by every dead and living thing; Good tidings of great joy for you, for all: There is no God; no Fiend with names divine Made us and tortures us; if we must pine, It is to satiate no Being's gall. It was the dark delusion of a dream, That living Person conscious and supreme, Whom we must curse for cursing us with life; Whom we must curse because the life he gave Could not be buried in the quiet grave, Could not be killed by poison or the knife. This little life is all we must endure, The grave's most holy peace is ever sure, We fall asleep and never wake again; Nothing is of us but the mouldering flesh, Whose elements dissolve and merge afresh In earth, air, water, plants, and other men. 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