--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The worm drives helically through the…" description: "\"“The worm drives helically through the wood And does not know the dust left in the bore Once made the table integral and good; And suddenly the crystal..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04a/john-m-ford-24552_lose_the-worm-drives-helically-through-the-wo_2423339.jpg" --- # The worm drives helically through the wood And does not… ![“The worm drives helically through the wood And does not know the dust left in the bore Once made the table integral and good; And suddenly the crystal hits the floor. Electrons find their paths in subtle ways, A massless eddy in a trail of smoke; The names of lovers, light of other days Perhaps…” quote by John M. Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04a/john-m-ford-24552_lose_the-worm-drives-helically-through-the-wo_2423339.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04a/john-m-ford-24552_lose_the-worm-drives-helically-through-the-wo_2423339.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/04a/john-m-ford-24552_lose_the-worm-drives-helically-through-the-wo_2423339.jpg) > ““The worm drives helically through the wood And does not know the dust left in the bore Once made the table integral and good; And suddenly the crystal hits the floor. Electrons find their paths in subtle ways, A massless eddy in a trail of smoke; The names of lovers, light of other days Perhaps you will not miss them. That's the joke. The universe winds down. That's how it's made. But memory is everything to lose; Although some of the colors have to fade, Do not believe you'll get the chance to choose. Regret, by definition, comes too late; Say what you mean. Bear witness. Iterate.”” [John M. Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-m-ford/) ## 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 entropy, memory, and the inevitability of regret, urging honest expression. **In simple terms:** Entropy and regret shape existence; speak truth. Key Takeaway Embrace impermanence, speak honestly. Themes philosophy entropy memory regret Mood contemplative melancholic Type poetic philosophical When to use this quote - personal reflection - artistic creation - mindfulness practice Key Concepts existentialism impermanence creative expression Questions to Reflect On - What memories do you cherish? - How do you confront regret? A Different Perspective Interpretations may vary; poetic ambiguity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Memory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memory/) [Regret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regret/) [Too late](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/too-late/) ## Related quotes > [When your only regret is if anyone thinks you regret anything - that is the definition of conviction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/when-your-only-regret-is-if-anyone-thinks-you-regret-anything-that-is/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [Choose with no regret.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-anne-radmacher/choose-with-no-regret/) [Mary Anne Radmacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-anne-radmacher/) > [Everything we do we choose. So what is there to regret? You are the person you chose to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-arden/everything-we-do-we-choose-so-what-is-there-to-regret-you-are-the/) [Paul Arden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-arden/) > [“Would you choose to be like me, if you had the choice?” “I do choose it. You regret what you are only because you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffany-reisz/would-you-choose-to-be-like-me-if-you-had-the-choice-i-do-choose-it/) [Tiffany Reisz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiffany-reisz/) > [I don't think regrets are as poisonous as most people think. They have their place in life. But if I could choose one regret…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-zawistoski/i-don-t-think-regrets-are-as-poisonous-as-most-people-think-they-have/) Joe Zawistoski > [Mind you, regret is an action consciously based on choice, choose to regret n b a failure…or choose to get up n forge ahead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olumide/mind-you-regret-is-an-action-consciously-based-on-choice-choose-to/) Olumide > [“But I’d rather look back and regret something I did when I was young and crazy, than look back and regret something I never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cherrie-lynn/but-i-d-rather-look-back-and-regret-something-i-did-when-i-was-young/) [Cherrie Lynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cherrie-lynn/) > [“Poirot, watching him, felt suddenly a doubt--an uncomfortable twinge. Was there, here, something that he had missed? Some richness of the spirit? Sadness crept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agatha-christie/poirot-watching-him-felt-suddenly-a-doubt-an-uncomfortable-twinge-was/) [Agatha Christie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agatha-christie/) > [I regret that I did not take care of you, did not spend time with you and took you for granted. I guess it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-regret-that-i-did-not-take-care-of-you-did-not-spend-time-with-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Don't lose sleep over things you cannot change! Wash away guilt - it's not worth it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-austin/don-t-lose-sleep-over-things-you-cannot-change-wash-away-guilt-it-s/) [Denise Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-austin/) > [Love is all a matter of timing. It's no good meeting the right person too soon or too late.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wong-kar-wai/love-is-all-a-matter-of-timing-it-s-no-good-meeting-the-right-person/) [Wong Kar-wai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wong-kar-wai/) > [The right decision is the wrong decision if it's made too late.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-iacocca/the-right-decision-is-the-wrong-decision-if-it-s-made-too-late/) [Lee Iacocca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-iacocca/) > [“If you go to bed too early and get up too late you probably won't sleep especially well. This could show up as either…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penelope-a-lewis/if-you-go-to-bed-too-early-and-get-up-too-late-you-probably-won-t/) [Penelope A. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penelope-a-lewis/) > [“4. THE CRUMBLING WALL (Hamburger, prepared medium well, with bacon and barbecue sauce. Courtesy of that place on Solano, where, it should be mentioned,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-eggers/4-the-crumbling-wall-hamburger-prepared-medium-well-with-bacon-and/) [Dave Eggers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-eggers/) > [ “\[S\]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-the-possible-irrelevance-of/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) ## More by John M. Ford > [Creating the fictional background for a game world isn't significantly different from creating a background for fiction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-m-ford/creating-the-fictional-background-for-a-game-world-isn-t/) [John M. Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-m-ford/) > [Well, it's an adventure story, and a Bildungsroman, of course, but there was also the intention to describe a culture that had been seen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-m-ford/well-it-s-an-adventure-story-and-a-bildungsroman-of-course-but-there/) [John M. Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-m-ford/) > [Sometimes the reader will decide something else than the author's intent; this is certainly true of attempts to empirically decipher reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-m-ford/sometimes-the-reader-will-decide-something-else-than-the-author-s/) [John M. Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-m-ford/) > [At one point I intended to write precursor and sequel novels, about the establishment of the Web and its next evolution, but I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-m-ford/at-one-point-i-intended-to-write-precursor-and-sequel-novels-about/) [John M. Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-m-ford/) > [“Askade took the battertoast, looked at it blearily. "I can't rewire it into a death ray without some extra parts," he said, and took…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-m-ford/askade-took-the-battertoast-looked-at-it-blearily-i-can-t-rewire-it/) [John M. Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-m-ford/) > [Every book is three books, after all; the one the writer intended, the one the reader expected, and the one that casts its shadow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-m-ford/every-book-is-three-books-after-all-the-one-the-writer-intended-the/) [John M. Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-m-ford/) > [I don't think anyone wants a reader to be completely lost - certainly not to the point of giving up - but there's something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-m-ford/i-don-t-think-anyone-wants-a-reader-to-be-completely-lost-certainly/) [John M. Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-m-ford/) > [There are people who believe in an absolutely transparent prose; with every respect for clarity of expression, I don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-m-ford/there-are-people-who-believe-in-an-absolutely-transparent-prose-with/) [John M. Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-m-ford/) > [Naturally, the reader has access only to the events I show and the way I show them, but as has been said, there's generally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-m-ford/naturally-the-reader-has-access-only-to-the-events-i-show-and-the-way/) [John M. Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-m-ford/) > [Observe, don't imitate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-m-ford/observe-don-t-imitate/) [John M. Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-m-ford/) > [If I were to write Web now, it would be a much, much darker book.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-m-ford/if-i-were-to-write-web-now-it-would-be-a-much-much-darker-book/) [John M. Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-m-ford/) > [The language fictional characters use is chosen for effect, at least if the author is concentrating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-m-ford/the-language-fictional-characters-use-is-chosen-for-effect-at-least/) [John M. Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-m-ford/) > [The ideal, it seems to me, is to show things happening and allow the reader to decide what they mean.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-m-ford/the-ideal-it-seems-to-me-is-to-show-things-happening-and-allow-the/) [John M. Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-m-ford/) > [The people who don't like it tend to dislike it intensely. That's unfortunate, but not surprising when one deliberately goes against audience expectations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-m-ford/the-people-who-don-t-like-it-tend-to-dislike-it-intensely-that-s/) [John M. Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-m-ford/) > [We're not lost. We're locationally challenged](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-m-ford/we-re-not-lost-we-re-locationally-challenged/) [John M. Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-m-ford/) [Explore all 24 John M. Ford quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-m-ford/) ## More Lose quotes > [If you take your eye off the ball or lose focus for even a minute you can lose a game against any team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felipe-anderson/if-you-take-your-eye-off-the-ball-or-lose-focus-for-even-a-minute-you/) [Felipe Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felipe-anderson/) > [At the very beginning, I was a page at Letterman, and I freelanced for any place that would let me write any word. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-schwartz/at-the-very-beginning-i-was-a-page-at-letterman-and-i-freelanced-for/) [Ben Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-schwartz/) > [Whether it was Little League or playing with your brothers or sisters, that was always a problem. If I would lose - because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-ripken-jr/whether-it-was-little-league-or-playing-with-your-brothers-or-sisters/) [Cal Ripken, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-ripken-jr/) > [Who wants a stylus. You have to get em and put em away, and you lose em. Yuck. Nobody wants a stylus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/who-wants-a-stylus-you-have-to-get-em-and-put-em-away-and-you-lose-em/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [I still have to unify my division and basically become the undefeated welterweight champion of the world. I can't lose. It is more added…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-spence-jr/i-still-have-to-unify-my-division-and-basically-become-the-undefeated/) [Errol Spence Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-spence-jr/) > [“Do you fear to lose me? Have I become so essential to you that you will treasure me always and never take me for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-dokey/do-you-fear-to-lose-me-have-i-become-so-essential-to-you-that-you/) [Cameron Dokey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-dokey/) > [When the dollar collapses, it's not doing it in a vacuum. If the dollar loses value, it's doing so relative to some other currency.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/when-the-dollar-collapses-it-s-not-doing-it-in-a-vacuum-if-the-dollar/) [Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/) > [Lose one friend, lose all friend, lose yourself. A little manifesto.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uknown/lose-one-friend-lose-all-friend-lose-yourself-a-little-manifesto/) Uknown > [When you lose a person you love so much, surviving the loss is difficult.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cristiano-ronaldo/when-you-lose-a-person-you-love-so-much-surviving-the-loss-is/) [Cristiano Ronaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cristiano-ronaldo/) > [Win or lose or draw, you always go back and critique your performance and say you could have done things better. Even if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-poirier/win-or-lose-or-draw-you-always-go-back-and-critique-your-performance/) [Dustin Poirier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-poirier/) > [When You Lose Someone You Love, You Never Get Over It. You Just Get Used To It.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernajoy-vaal/when-you-lose-someone-you-love-you-never-get-over-it-you-just-get/) [Bernajoy Vaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernajoy-vaal/) > [Some lose yet gain, others gain and yet lose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/some-lose-yet-gain-others-gain-and-yet-lose/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's similar to basketball: when you go to different gyms and win or lose, you learn something new. So when kids get out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-iguodala/it-s-similar-to-basketball-when-you-go-to-different-gyms-and-win-or/) [Andre Iguodala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-iguodala/) > [To accomplish much you must first lose everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/che-guevara/to-accomplish-much-you-must-first-lose-everything/) [Che Guevara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/che-guevara/) > [Some things are sacred. Until you act like they're not. Then you lose them](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/some-things-are-sacred-until-you-act-like-they-re-not-then-you-lose/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) Browse all 6,442 Lose quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The worm drives helically through the wood And does not know the dust left in the bore Once made the table integral and good; And suddenly the crystal hits the floor. Electrons find their paths in subtle ways, A massless eddy in a trail of smoke; The names of lovers, light of other days Perhaps you will not miss them. That's the joke. The universe winds down. That's how it's made. But memory is everything to lose; Although some of the colors have to fade, Do not believe you'll get the chance to choose. Regret, by definition, comes too late; Say what you mean. Bear witness. Iterate.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John M. 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