--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A pier is a disappointed bridge; yet…" description: "\"A pier is a disappointed bridge; yet stare at it for long enough and you can dream it to the other side of the Channel.\" — Julian Barnes" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/462/julian-barnes-522_bridges_a-pier-is-a-disappointed-bridge-yet-star_2046760.png" --- # A pier is a disappointed bridge; yet stare at it for long… ![“A pier is a disappointed bridge; yet stare at it for long enough and you can dream it to the other side of the Channel.” quote by Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/462/julian-barnes-522_bridges_a-pier-is-a-disappointed-bridge-yet-star_2046760.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/462/julian-barnes-522_bridges_a-pier-is-a-disappointed-bridge-yet-star_2046760.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/462/julian-barnes-522_bridges_a-pier-is-a-disappointed-bridge-yet-star_2046760.png) > “A pier is a disappointed bridge; yet stare at it for long enough and you can dream it to the other side of the Channel.” [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A bridge that fails to connect can still inspire longing and imagination for crossing. **In simple terms:** A broken bridge can spark dreams of crossing. Key Takeaway Let disappointment fuel imagination. Themes longing imagination hope Mood melancholic hopeful Type reflective inspirational When to use this quote - travel planning - relationship counseling - creative writing - personal reflection Key Concepts perception desire dreaming Questions to Reflect On - What can you create from a failed connection? - How does longing shape your goals? A Different Perspective Dreams may not become reality without action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bridges/) [Disappointed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disappointed/) [Disappointment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disappointment/) [Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) [Pier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pier/) [Staring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/staring/) ## Related quotes > [A pier is a disappointed bridge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/a-pier-is-a-disappointed-bridge/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [People tend to read books about a guy who goes back in time or a guy who is living under a pier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-andrews/people-tend-to-read-books-about-a-guy-who-goes-back-in-time-or-a-guy/) [Andy Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-andrews/) > [Those we love can but walk down to the pier with us - the voyage we must make alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/those-we-love-can-but-walk-down-to-the-pier-with-us-the-voyage-we/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [I haven't been down to Navy Pier in such a long time. I know that's probably the touristy thing to do, but it just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-b-jordan/i-haven-t-been-down-to-navy-pier-in-such-a-long-time-i-know-that-s/) [Michael B. Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-b-jordan/) > [If you get made fun of working at Pier One Imports, you can't pelt them with poop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-stanhope/if-you-get-made-fun-of-working-at-pier-one-imports-you-can-t-pelt/) [Doug Stanhope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-stanhope/) > [August for the people and their favourite islands. Daily the steamers sidle up to meet The effusive welcome of the pier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/august-for-the-people-and-their-favourite-islands-daily-the-steamers/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [Some people wait so long for their ship to come in, their pier collapses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-goddard/some-people-wait-so-long-for-their-ship-to-come-in-their-pier/) [John Goddard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-goddard/) > [If you stare at someone long enough, you start to see their humanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-andrus/if-you-stare-at-someone-long-enough-you-start-to-see-their-humanity/) [Mark Andrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-andrus/) > [“It’s not good to stare too long at the Mire. It might look back.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/it-s-not-good-to-stare-too-long-at-the-mire-it-might-look-back/) [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) > [Your eyes were too intense to stare into for long.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-christopher/your-eyes-were-too-intense-to-stare-into-for-long/) [Lucy Christopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-christopher/) > [“There's a fine line between stuff, and if you stare at it long enough it'll drive you insane or to genius”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-stern/there-s-a-fine-line-between-stuff-and-if-you-stare-at-it-long-enough/) [Josh Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-stern/) > [If you stare at someone long enough, you'll hear him saying WTF are you looking at?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/if-you-stare-at-someone-long-enough-you-ll-hear-him-saying-wtf-are/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [“What is this life if, full of care, We have no time to stand and stare. No time to stand beneath the boughs And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-davies-2/what-is-this-life-if-full-of-care-we-have-no-time-to-stand-and-stare/) W.H. Davies > [Sometimes we stare so long at a door that is closing that we see too late the one that is open.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-graham-bell/sometimes-we-stare-so-long-at-a-door-that-is-closing-that-we-see-too/) [Alexander Graham Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-graham-bell/) > [If you have to swallow a frog, don't stare at it too long.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/if-you-have-to-swallow-a-frog-don-t-stare-at-it-too-long/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) ## More by Julian Barnes > [“You put together two things that have not been put together before. And the world is changed. People may not notice at the time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/you-put-together-two-things-that-have-not-been-put-together-before/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [“I settled into a contented routine of working, spending my free time with Veronica and, back in my student room, wanking explosively to fantasies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/i-settled-into-a-contented-routine-of-working-spending-my-free-time/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [The greatest patriotism is to tell your country when it is behaving dishonorably, foolishly, viciously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/the-greatest-patriotism-is-to-tell-your-country-when-it-is-behaving/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [“There is only good vodka and very good vodka—there is no such thing as bad vodka.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/there-is-only-good-vodka-and-very-good-vodka-there-is-no-such-thing/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [Alice Munro can move characters through time in a way that no other writer can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/alice-munro-can-move-characters-through-time-in-a-way-that-no-other/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [How rarely do our emotions meet the object they seem to deserve? How hopelessly we signal; how dark the sky; how big the waves.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/how-rarely-do-our-emotions-meet-the-object-they-seem-to-deserve-how/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [You put together two people who have not been put together before. Sometimes it is like that first attempt to harness a hydrogen balloon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/you-put-together-two-people-who-have-not-been-put-together-before/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [“Also, when you are young, you think you can predict the likely pains and bleaknesses that age might bring. You imagine yourself being lonely,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/also-when-you-are-young-you-think-you-can-predict-the-likely-pains/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [“Why slum it where people were burdened by yesterday, and the day before, and the day before that? By history? Here, on the Island,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/why-slum-it-where-people-were-burdened-by-yesterday-and-the-day/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [“In those years before mobile phones, email and Skype, travelers depended on the rudimentary communications system known as the postcard. Other methods--the long-distance phone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/in-those-years-before-mobile-phones-email-and-skype-travelers/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [“My train was late, slowed by the usual Sunday engineering work. I got home in the early evening. I remember that I had a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/my-train-was-late-slowed-by-the-usual-sunday-engineering-work-i-got/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [In life, every ending is just the start of another story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/in-life-every-ending-is-just-the-start-of-another-story/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [“Indeed, isn’t the whole business of ascribing responsibility kind of a cop-out? We want to blame an individual so that everyone else is exculpated.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/indeed-isn-t-the-whole-business-of-ascribing-responsibility-kind-of-a/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [Some of the freckles I once loved are now closer to liver spots. But it’s still the eyes we look at, isn’t it? That’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/some-of-the-freckles-i-once-loved-are-now-closer-to-liver-spots-but/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [“And what percentage of people take up the option to die off?’ She looked at me, her glance telling me to be calm. ‘Oh,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/and-what-percentage-of-people-take-up-the-option-to-die-off-she/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) [Explore all 454 Julian Barnes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) ## More Bridges quotes > [Poetry has, in a way, been my bridge to my acting career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omari-hardwick/poetry-has-in-a-way-been-my-bridge-to-my-acting-career/) [Omari Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omari-hardwick/) > [Nothing teaches great writing like the very best books do. Yet, good teachers often help students cross that bridge, and I have to say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-glass/nothing-teaches-great-writing-like-the-very-best-books-do-yet-good/) [Julia Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-glass/) > [In my rear view mirror the sun is going down sinking behind bridges in the road and I think of all the good things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-waters/in-my-rear-view-mirror-the-sun-is-going-down-sinking-behind-bridges/) [Roger Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-waters/) > [My first big mistake was made when, in a moment of weakness, I consented to learn the game; for a man who can frankly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-benchley/my-first-big-mistake-was-made-when-in-a-moment-of-weakness-i/) [Robert Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-benchley/) > [The WPA was one of the most productive elements of FDR's alphabet soup of agencies because it put people to work building roads, bridges,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/the-wpa-was-one-of-the-most-productive-elements-of-fdr-s-alphabet/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The sense that in this universe we are treated as strangers, the longing to be acknowledged, to meet with some response, to bridge some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-sense-that-in-this-universe-we-are-treated-as-strangers-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you walk, try to think nothing! You can then obtain the silence of a streetlight or a bridge; stop thinking; after that, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/when-you-walk-try-to-think-nothing-you-can-then-obtain-the-silence-of/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [By the time they were pulling into the parking lot of the A&P, the mood was fading, the moment gone. Amy could feel it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-strout/by-the-time-they-were-pulling-into-the-parking-lot-of-the-a-p-the/) [Elizabeth Strout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-strout/) > [Al Pacino and Jeff Bridges do it for me in a big way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-scanlon/al-pacino-and-jeff-bridges-do-it-for-me-in-a-big-way/) [Angela Scanlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-scanlon/) > [Instead of building castles against your enemies, build bridges for them to come to you!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/instead-of-building-castles-against-your-enemies-build-bridges-for/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [Instead of finding himself in nerd heaven—where every nerd gets fifty-eight virgins to role-play with—he woke up in Robert Wood Johnson with two broken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/instead-of-finding-himself-in-nerd-heaven-where-every-nerd-gets-fifty/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [Each person is an island unto himself, in a very real sense; and he can only build bridges to other islands if he is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-rogers/each-person-is-an-island-unto-himself-in-a-very-real-sense-and-he-can/) [Carl Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-rogers/) > [The real test of a bridge player isn’t in keeping out of trouble, but in escaping once he’s in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-sheinwold/the-real-test-of-a-bridge-player-isn-t-in-keeping-out-of-trouble-but/) [Alfred Sheinwold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-sheinwold/) > [The law ... allows rich as well as poor to sleep under bridges.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatole-france/the-law-allows-rich-as-well-as-poor-to-sleep-under-bridges/) [Anatole France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatole-france/) > [Guys like Todd Bridges never overcame being a child star. You can't have any big failures. I've always felt regular. I played organized ball…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bow-wow/guys-like-todd-bridges-never-overcame-being-a-child-star-you-can-t/) [Bow Wow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bow-wow/) [Browse all 1,521 Bridges quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bridges/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A pier is a disappointed bridge; yet stare at it for long enough and you can dream it to the other side of the Channel.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Julian Barnes" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/a-pier-is-a-disappointed-bridge-yet-stare-at-it-for-long-enough-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bridges" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/a-pier-is-a-disappointed-bridge-yet-stare-at-it-for-long-enough-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/462/julian-barnes-522_bridges_a-pier-is-a-disappointed-bridge-yet-star_2046760.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/462/julian-barnes-522_bridges_a-pier-is-a-disappointed-bridge-yet-star_2046760.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/462/julian-barnes-522_bridges_a-pier-is-a-disappointed-bridge-yet-star_2046760.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A pier is a disappointed bridge; yet stare at it for long enough and you can dream it to the other side of…” — Julian Barnes", "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": "Julian Barnes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A pier is a disappointed bridge;...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/a-pier-is-a-disappointed-bridge-yet-stare-at-it-for-long-enough-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/a-pier-is-a-disappointed-bridge-yet-stare-at-it-for-long-enough-and/#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 } } ] } ```