--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The locust continues to devour the world…" description: "\"“The locust continues to devour the world Hunger persists Love lurches on listing to starboard like a ship in a bottle Human longing goes on Loneliness..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/740/lawrence-ferlinghetti-7689_life_the-locust-continues-to-devour-the-world_882789.jpg" --- # The locust continues to devour the world Hunger persists… ![“The locust continues to devour the world Hunger persists Love lurches on listing to starboard like a ship in a bottle Human longing goes on Loneliness a curse Innocence persists Ignorance persists” quote by Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/740/lawrence-ferlinghetti-7689_life_the-locust-continues-to-devour-the-world_882789.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/740/lawrence-ferlinghetti-7689_life_the-locust-continues-to-devour-the-world_882789.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/740/lawrence-ferlinghetti-7689_life_the-locust-continues-to-devour-the-world_882789.jpg) > ““The locust continues to devour the world Hunger persists Love lurches on listing to starboard like a ship in a bottle Human longing goes on Loneliness a curse Innocence persists Ignorance persists”” [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) ## 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 juxtaposes relentless destruction with enduring human emotions, highlighting paradoxes of suffering and hope. **In simple terms:** Even as the world is devoured, love and longing persist. Key Takeaway Find hope amid chaos and destruction. Themes hope destruction paradox humanity Mood melancholic hopeful Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - war zones - environmental crisis - personal loss - artistic expression Key Concepts existentialism contrast resilience Questions to Reflect On - What does “locust” symbolize for you? - How can love survive in dire circumstances? A Different Perspective The abstract style may be hard to interpret without context. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Longing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/longing/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [World hunger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-hunger/) ## Related quotes > [The secret of spiritual success is a hunger that persists…It is an awful condition to be satisfied with one’s spiritual attainments…God was and is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/smith-wigglesworth/the-secret-of-spiritual-success-is-a-hunger-that-persists-it-is-an/) [Smith Wigglesworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/smith-wigglesworth/) > ['Old Fashioned' can expect strong interest because it taps into a universal human longing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-a-r-white/old-fashioned-can-expect-strong-interest-because-it-taps-into-a/) [David A. R. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-a-r-white/) > [Locust: To say Damn in a quiet voice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/locust-to-say-damn-in-a-quiet-voice/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [Nature makes the locust with an appetite for crops; man would have made him with an appetite for sand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/nature-makes-the-locust-with-an-appetite-for-crops-man-would-have/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [“Honey Locust" Who can tell how lovely in June is the honey locust tree, or why a tree should be so sweet and live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-oliver/honey-locust-who-can-tell-how-lovely-in-june-is-the-honey-locust-tree/) [Mary Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-oliver/) > [“The Locust Effect then is the surprising story of how a plague of lawless violence is destroying two dreams that the world deeply cherishes:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-a-haugen/the-locust-effect-then-is-the-surprising-story-of-how-a-plague-of/) [Gary A. Haugen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-a-haugen/) > [Neglect of private prayer is the locust which devours the strength of the church.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/neglect-of-private-prayer-is-the-locust-which-devours-the-strength-of/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [“The locust has no king Just noise and hard language They talk me over”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-eugene-edwards/the-locust-has-no-king-just-noise-and-hard-language-they-talk-me-over/) David Eugene Edwards > [“Scene VI (1940) It is our fault we love only the skull of Beauty Without knowing who she was, of what she died. 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We all know how when we were children we asked our parents, "What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/there-is-a-human-longing-to-go-back-to-other-times-we-all-know-how/) [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) > [It is human longing that makes us holy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-o-donohue/it-is-human-longing-that-makes-us-holy/) [John O'Donohue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-o-donohue/) > [I'm so fascinated by the human longing for meaning. The way we relate romantically to each other is so much to do with our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimbra/i-m-so-fascinated-by-the-human-longing-for-meaning-the-way-we-relate/) [Kimbra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimbra/) > [“there in the fresh young darkness close together. Pheoby eager to feel and do through Janie, but hating to show her zest for fear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-mock/there-in-the-fresh-young-darkness-close-together-pheoby-eager-to-feel/) [Janet Mock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-mock/) ## More by Lawrence Ferlinghetti > [“I am waiting for the meek to be blessed and inherit the earth... without taxes”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/i-am-waiting-for-the-meek-to-be-blessed-and-inherit-the-earth-without/) [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) > [We have to raise the consciousness; the only way poets can change the world is to raise the consciousness of the general populace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/we-have-to-raise-the-consciousness-the-only-way-poets-can-change-the/) [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) > [I didn’t know that painters and writers retired. They’re like soldiers – they just fade away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/i-didn-t-know-that-painters-and-writers-retired-they-re-like-soldiers/) [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) > [I certainly was surprised to be named Poet Laureate of this far-out city on the left side of the world, and I gratefully accept,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/i-certainly-was-surprised-to-be-named-poet-laureate-of-this-far-out/) [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) > [Paperbacks weren't considered real books in the book trade. 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Of course this was the great slogan of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/poetry-can-change-the-world-just-like-any-art-can-change-the-world-by/) [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) > [As I get older I perceive Life has its tail in its mouth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/as-i-get-older-i-perceive-life-has-its-tail-in-its-mouth/) [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) > [Almost every truly creative being alienated & expatriated in his own country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/almost-every-truly-creative-being-alienated-expatriated-in-his-own/) [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) > [The future of publishing lies with the small and medium-sized presses, because the big publishers in New York are all part of huge conglomerates.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/the-future-of-publishing-lies-with-the-small-and-medium-sized-presses/) [Lawrence Ferlinghetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/) > [The art has to make it on its own, without explanations, and it’s the same for poetry. 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That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life works most perfectly when a reciprocal love relationship is in place between man and God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/life-works-most-perfectly-when-a-reciprocal-love-relationship-is-in/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [I value the experiences that come with life too much to sit by and not put my full effort into them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-miller/i-value-the-experiences-that-come-with-life-too-much-to-sit-by-and/) [Jim Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-miller/) > [Entertainment is a sacred pursuit when done well. 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I mean, that's my life lesson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-johnson/the-one-thing-that-i-keep-learning-over-and-over-again-is-that-i-don/) [Dwayne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-johnson/) > [“THIS tale of my sore-troubled life I write,    To thank the God of nature, who conveyed    My soul to me, and with such care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-tale-of-my-sore-troubled-life-i-write-to-thank-the-god-of-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“The future is only an indifferent void no one cares about, but the past is filled with life, and its countenance is irritating, repellent,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/the-future-is-only-an-indifferent-void-no-one-cares-about-but-the/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [Two things revolutionised life: moving to the countryside and falling in love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-love/two-things-revolutionised-life-moving-to-the-countryside-and-falling/) [Nick Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-love/) > [But just remember, life without me would be even more unbearable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/but-just-remember-life-without-me-would-be-even-more-unbearable/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) [Browse all 265,290 Life quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The locust continues to devour the world Hunger persists Love lurches on listing to starboard like a ship in a bottle Human longing goes on Loneliness a curse Innocence persists Ignorance persists”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lawrence Ferlinghetti" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/the-locust-continues-to-devour-the-world-hunger-persists-love-lurches/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Life" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/the-locust-continues-to-devour-the-world-hunger-persists-love-lurches/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/740/lawrence-ferlinghetti-7689_life_the-locust-continues-to-devour-the-world_882789.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/740/lawrence-ferlinghetti-7689_life_the-locust-continues-to-devour-the-world_882789.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/740/lawrence-ferlinghetti-7689_life_the-locust-continues-to-devour-the-world_882789.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The locust continues to devour the world Hunger persists Love lurches on listing to starboard like a ship in…” — Lawrence Ferlinghetti", "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": "Lawrence Ferlinghetti", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-ferlinghetti/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The locust continues to devour the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/the-locust-continues-to-devour-the-world-hunger-persists-love-lurches/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-ferlinghetti/the-locust-continues-to-devour-the-world-hunger-persists-love-lurches/#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 } } ] } ```