--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If we cry more tears we will ruin the…" description: "\"If we cry more tears we will ruin the land with salt; instead let's praise that which would distract us with despair. Make a song for death, a song for..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f5/joy-harjo-14629_bad-breath_if-we-cry-more-tears-we-will-ruin-the-la_104912.jpg" --- # If we cry more tears we will ruin the land with salt… ![“If we cry more tears we will ruin the land with salt; instead let's praise that which would distract us with despair. Make a song for death, a song for yellow teeth and bad breath” quote by Joy Harjo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f5/joy-harjo-14629_bad-breath_if-we-cry-more-tears-we-will-ruin-the-la_104912.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f5/joy-harjo-14629_bad-breath_if-we-cry-more-tears-we-will-ruin-the-la_104912.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f5/joy-harjo-14629_bad-breath_if-we-cry-more-tears-we-will-ruin-the-la_104912.jpg) > “If we cry more tears we will ruin the land with salt; instead let's praise that which would distract us with despair. Make a song for death, a song for yellow teeth and bad breath” [Joy Harjo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-harjo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Rather than lamenting loss, celebrate life’s absurdities; art can transform grief into creative expression. **In simple terms:** Turn sorrow into song and humor. Key Takeaway Creative joy counters despair. Themes grief creativity humor ritual Mood wry defiant Type poetic ritualistic When to use this quote - writing songs after a death - using satire to cope with illness - community gatherings celebrating life despite hardship Key Concepts catharsis transmutation of pain Practical Applications - Compose a short piece about a painful experience - Use playful language to reframe a sad event Questions to Reflect On - When does humor become avoidance? - How can art honor loss without diminishing it? A Different Perspective May risk trivializing genuine suffering if not handled sensitively. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bad breath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-breath/) [Breaths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breaths/) [Cry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cry/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Death Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death-song-1262001/) [Despair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/despair/) [Distract Despair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distract-despair-1261999/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/land/) [Praise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/praise/) [Ruins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ruins/) [Salt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/salt/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Tears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tears/) [Tears Ruin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tears-ruin-1262000/) [Teeth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teeth/) [Yellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/yellow/) ## Related quotes > [“When your time comes to die, be not like those whose hearts are filled with fear of death. Sing your death song! And die…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-g-harmon/when-your-time-comes-to-die-be-not-like-those-whose-hearts-are-filled-2/) [Marion G. Harmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-g-harmon/) > [“Now I end my death song. I give my farewell to mountain and sky. It has been good to be alive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tad-williams/now-i-end-my-death-song-i-give-my-farewell-to-mountain-and-sky-it-has/) [Tad Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tad-williams/) > [Sing your death song and die like a hero going home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tecumseh/sing-your-death-song-and-die-like-a-hero-going-home/) [Tecumseh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tecumseh/) > [Prepare a noble death song for the day when you go over the great divide.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tecumseh/prepare-a-noble-death-song-for-the-day-when-you-go-over-the-great/) [Tecumseh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tecumseh/) > [White, black and yellow men - they all cry salt tears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-aveline/white-black-and-yellow-men-they-all-cry-salt-tears/) [Claude Aveline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-aveline/) > [“And Nate? You kiss like a slobbering dog, you have bad breath, and you wouldn't know how to punch the right buttons on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-eulberg/and-nate-you-kiss-like-a-slobbering-dog-you-have-bad-breath-and-you/) [Elizabeth Eulberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-eulberg/) > [I don't mean to be insolent. I'm truthful. I tell the truth and the truth sometimes hurts. For instance, you have bad breath, Lieutenant.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-cormier/i-don-t-mean-to-be-insolent-i-m-truthful-i-tell-the-truth-and-the/) [Robert Cormier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-cormier/) > [To My Future Partner; we ain't kissing in the morning until we brush our teeth hate bad breath.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-my-future-partner-we-ain-t-kissing-in-the-morning-until-we-brush/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I Just got finished going 2 the dentist for a teeth cleaning its important to take care of yo hygiene becuz u don't wanna…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante/i-just-got-finished-going-2-the-dentist-for-a-teeth-cleaning-its/) [Dante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante/) > [“Do you know where bad breath comes from? Do you know where body odor comes from? Bad breath and body odor come from a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-jacoby/do-you-know-where-bad-breath-comes-from-do-you-know-where-body-odor/) [Jesse Jacoby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jacoby/) > [“Bruno was a musician with the temperament of an anarchist and the breath of a bartender's dishrag. He gave the lie to bookselling as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheridan-hay/bruno-was-a-musician-with-the-temperament-of-an-anarchist-and-the/) [Sheridan Hay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheridan-hay/) > [“This is it I’m not coming after you I’m going to lie down for half an hour This is it I’m not going down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/this-is-it-i-m-not-coming-after-you-i-m-going-to-lie-down-for-half-an/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [Good manners and bad breath will get you nowhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/good-manners-and-bad-breath-will-get-you-nowhere/) [Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-costello/) > [“His behavior wasn’t helping his Q points at all. He’d been making attempts to engage in conversation with almost everyone, but once he joined…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-taylor/his-behavior-wasn-t-helping-his-q-points-at-all-he-d-been-making/) [Corey Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-taylor/) > [Cosmo sucker bad breath crier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/static-x/cosmo-sucker-bad-breath-crier/) [Static-X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/static-x/) ## More by Joy Harjo > [“This morning when I looked out the roof window before dawn and a few stars were still caught in the fragile weft of ebony…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-harjo/this-morning-when-i-looked-out-the-roof-window-before-dawn-and-a-few/) [Joy Harjo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-harjo/) > [“The songs of the guardians of silence are the most powerful—”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-harjo/the-songs-of-the-guardians-of-silence-are-the-most-powerful/) [Joy Harjo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-harjo/) > [“I know I walk in and out of several worlds each day.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-harjo/i-know-i-walk-in-and-out-of-several-worlds-each-day/) [Joy Harjo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-harjo/) > [In Isleta the rainbow was a crack in the universe. We saw the barest of all life that is possible. Bright horses rolled over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-harjo/in-isleta-the-rainbow-was-a-crack-in-the-universe-we-saw-the-barest/) [Joy Harjo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-harjo/) > [A story matrix connects all of us. There are rules, processes, and circles of responsibility in this world. And the story begins exactly where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-harjo/a-story-matrix-connects-all-of-us-there-are-rules-processes-and/) [Joy Harjo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-harjo/) > [“Be respectful of the small insects, birds and animal people who accompany you. Ask their forgiveness for the harm we humans have brought down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-harjo/be-respectful-of-the-small-insects-birds-and-animal-people-who/) [Joy Harjo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-harjo/) > [I can hear the sizzle of newborn stars, and know anything of meaning, of the fierce magic emerging here. I am witness to flexible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-harjo/i-can-hear-the-sizzle-of-newborn-stars-and-know-anything-of-meaning/) [Joy Harjo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-harjo/) > [“It's possible to understand the world from studying a leaf. You can comprehend the laws of aerodynamics, mathematics, poetry and biology through the complex…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-harjo/it-s-possible-to-understand-the-world-from-studying-a-leaf-you-can/) [Joy Harjo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-harjo/) > [Remember the plants, trees, animal life who all have their families, their histories too. Talk to them, listen to them. They are alive poems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-harjo/remember-the-plants-trees-animal-life-who-all-have-their-families/) [Joy Harjo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-harjo/) > [There is no separation. We are all from the same place. As long as there is respect and acknowledgement of connections, things continue working.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-harjo/there-is-no-separation-we-are-all-from-the-same-place-as-long-as/) [Joy Harjo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-harjo/) > [“I release you, my beautiful and terrible fear. I release you. You were my beloved and hate twin, but now, I don't know you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-harjo/i-release-you-my-beautiful-and-terrible-fear-i-release-you-you-were/) [Joy Harjo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-harjo/) > [Perhaps the world will end at the kitchen table, while we are laughing and crying, eating of the last sweet bite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-harjo/perhaps-the-world-will-end-at-the-kitchen-table-while-we-are-laughing/) [Joy Harjo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-harjo/) > [At least I've had to come to that in my life, to realize that this stuff called failure, this stuff, this debris of historical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-harjo/at-least-i-ve-had-to-come-to-that-in-my-life-to-realize-that-this/) [Joy Harjo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-harjo/) > [I listen to the gunfire we cannot hear, and begin this journey with the light of knowing the root of my own furious love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-harjo/i-listen-to-the-gunfire-we-cannot-hear-and-begin-this-journey-with/) [Joy Harjo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-harjo/) > [It is memory that provides the heart with impetus, fuels the brain, and propels the corn plant from seed to fruit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-harjo/it-is-memory-that-provides-the-heart-with-impetus-fuels-the-brain-and/) [Joy Harjo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-harjo/) [Explore all 46 Joy Harjo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-harjo/) ## More Bad breath quotes > [Cosmo sucker bad breath crier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/static-x/cosmo-sucker-bad-breath-crier/) [Static-X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/static-x/) > [“His behavior wasn’t helping his Q points at all. He’d been making attempts to engage in conversation with almost everyone, but once he joined…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-taylor/his-behavior-wasn-t-helping-his-q-points-at-all-he-d-been-making/) [Corey Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-taylor/) > [Good manners and bad breath will get you nowhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elvis-costello/good-manners-and-bad-breath-will-get-you-nowhere/) [Elvis Costello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elvis-costello/) > [“This is it I’m not coming after you I’m going to lie down for half an hour This is it I’m not going down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/this-is-it-i-m-not-coming-after-you-i-m-going-to-lie-down-for-half-an/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [“Bruno was a musician with the temperament of an anarchist and the breath of a bartender's dishrag. He gave the lie to bookselling as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheridan-hay/bruno-was-a-musician-with-the-temperament-of-an-anarchist-and-the/) [Sheridan Hay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheridan-hay/) > [“Do you know where bad breath comes from? Do you know where body odor comes from? Bad breath and body odor come from a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-jacoby/do-you-know-where-bad-breath-comes-from-do-you-know-where-body-odor/) [Jesse Jacoby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jacoby/) > [I Just got finished going 2 the dentist for a teeth cleaning its important to take care of yo hygiene becuz u don't wanna…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante/i-just-got-finished-going-2-the-dentist-for-a-teeth-cleaning-its/) [Dante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante/) > [To My Future Partner; we ain't kissing in the morning until we brush our teeth hate bad breath.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-my-future-partner-we-ain-t-kissing-in-the-morning-until-we-brush/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't mean to be insolent. I'm truthful. I tell the truth and the truth sometimes hurts. For instance, you have bad breath, Lieutenant.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-cormier/i-don-t-mean-to-be-insolent-i-m-truthful-i-tell-the-truth-and-the/) [Robert Cormier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-cormier/) > [“And Nate? You kiss like a slobbering dog, you have bad breath, and you wouldn't know how to punch the right buttons on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-eulberg/and-nate-you-kiss-like-a-slobbering-dog-you-have-bad-breath-and-you/) [Elizabeth Eulberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-eulberg/) > [Twitter is cool cause you can be sitting at home & it feels like you're out with people but without the bad breath, eye…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/twitter-is-cool-cause-you-can-be-sitting-at-home-it-feels-like-you-re/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Actors worry about bad breath, weight, receding hairlines and why their leading lady looks like their daughter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-ashford/actors-worry-about-bad-breath-weight-receding-hairlines-and-why-their/) [Matthew Ashford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-ashford/) > [“At the point where he, today's Ivan Ilyich, began to emerge, all the pleasures that had seemed so real melted away now before his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/at-the-point-where-he-today-s-ivan-ilyich-began-to-emerge-all-the/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Honestly, when a guy loves you, he won't care if you have bad breath in the morning, he'll still kiss you. He won't care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/honestly-when-a-guy-loves-you-he-won-t-care-if-you-have-bad-breath-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A bad mood is like bad breath. Both are wrong to inflict onto others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/a-bad-mood-is-like-bad-breath-both-are-wrong-to-inflict-onto-others/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) [Browse all 106 Bad breath quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-breath/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If we cry more tears we will ruin the land with salt; instead let's praise that which would distract us with despair. Make a song for death, a song for yellow teeth and bad breath", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Joy Harjo" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-harjo/if-we-cry-more-tears-we-will-ruin-the-land-with-salt-instead-let-s/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bad breath" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-harjo/if-we-cry-more-tears-we-will-ruin-the-land-with-salt-instead-let-s/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f5/joy-harjo-14629_bad-breath_if-we-cry-more-tears-we-will-ruin-the-la_104912.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f5/joy-harjo-14629_bad-breath_if-we-cry-more-tears-we-will-ruin-the-la_104912.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f5/joy-harjo-14629_bad-breath_if-we-cry-more-tears-we-will-ruin-the-la_104912.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If we cry more tears we will ruin the land with salt; instead let's praise that which would distract us with…” — Joy Harjo", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Joy Harjo", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-harjo/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If we cry more tears we...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-harjo/if-we-cry-more-tears-we-will-ruin-the-land-with-salt-instead-let-s/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-harjo/if-we-cry-more-tears-we-will-ruin-the-land-with-salt-instead-let-s/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```