--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Better--while life is quick And every…" description: "\"Better--while life is quick And every pain immense and joy supreme, And all I have and am Flames upward to the dream ... Than like a taper forgotten in..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff8/lola-ridge-49675_better-life_better-while-life-is-quick-and-every-pai_460507.jpg" --- # Better--while life is quick And every pain immense and joy… ![“Better--while life is quick And every pain immense and joy supreme, And all I have and am Flames upward to the dream ... Than like a taper forgotten in the dawn, Burning out the quick.” quote by Lola Ridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff8/lola-ridge-49675_better-life_better-while-life-is-quick-and-every-pai_460507.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff8/lola-ridge-49675_better-life_better-while-life-is-quick-and-every-pai_460507.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff8/lola-ridge-49675_better-life_better-while-life-is-quick-and-every-pai_460507.jpg) > “Better--while life is quick And every pain immense and joy supreme, And all I have and am Flames upward to the dream ... Than like a taper forgotten in the dawn, Burning out the quick.” [Lola Ridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lola-ridge/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life’s brevity intensifies both pain and joy, yet aspirations fade like a forgotten candle at dawn. **In simple terms:** Short life makes feelings intense, but dreams can dim quickly. Key Takeaway Nurture dreams before they fade. Themes impermanence intensity aspirations Mood urgent hopeful Type poetic philosophical When to use this quote - career pursuits - creative projects - personal goals Key Concepts existential urgency ephemeral joy Questions to Reflect On - What steps keep your aspirations alive? - How do you balance pain and joy? A Different Perspective The analogy may romanticize suffering without offering solutions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Better life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-life/) [Burning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/burning/) [Burning Quick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/burning-quick-4001733/) [Dawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dawn/) [Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Flames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flames/) [Flames Upward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flames-upward-3037761/) [Forgotten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgotten/) [Immense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immense/) [Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joy/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life is](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-is/) [Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain/) [Pain Immense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain-immense-4001735/) [Supreme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/supreme/) [Upward Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/upward-dream-4001734/) ## Related quotes > [It is the inherent characteristic of the flames to move upward and illuminate the nearby area. Those great souls who tread on the path…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rig-veda/it-is-the-inherent-characteristic-of-the-flames-to-move-upward-and/) [Rig Veda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rig-veda/) > [When it's time to film and to actually take on the role of Precious, I felt an immense responsibility to do it justice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabourey-sidibe/when-it-s-time-to-film-and-to-actually-take-on-the-role-of-precious-i/) [Gabourey Sidibe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabourey-sidibe/) > [The Internet offers immense possibilities for encounter and solidarity. This is something truly good, a gift from God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/the-internet-offers-immense-possibilities-for-encounter-and/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [What are we doing here, that is the question. And we are blessed in this, that we happen to know the answer. Yes, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/what-are-we-doing-here-that-is-the-question-and-we-are-blessed-in/) [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) > [To be here is immense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-maria-rilke/to-be-here-is-immense/) [Rainer Maria Rilke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-maria-rilke/) > [The immense value of becoming acquainted with a foreign language is that we are thereby led into a new world of tradition and thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/havelock-ellis/the-immense-value-of-becoming-acquainted-with-a-foreign-language-is/) [Havelock Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/havelock-ellis/) > [We must begin by acknowledging that there is a complete absence of two things in Indian Society. One of these is equality. On the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-r-ambedkar/we-must-begin-by-acknowledging-that-there-is-a-complete-absence-of/) [B. R. Ambedkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-r-ambedkar/) > [The debt immense of endless gratitude, So burthensome, still paying, still to owe; Forgetful what from him I still receivd, And understood not that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/the-debt-immense-of-endless-gratitude-so-burthensome-still-paying/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [The universe appears to me like an immense, inexorable torture-garden…Passions, greed, hatred, and lies; social institutions, justice, love, glory, heroism, and religion: these are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octave-mirbeau/the-universe-appears-to-me-like-an-immense-inexorable-torture-garden/) [Octave Mirbeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octave-mirbeau/) > [Over immense periods of time the intellect produced nothing but errors. A few of these proved to be useful and helped to preserve the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/over-immense-periods-of-time-the-intellect-produced-nothing-but/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [What an immense impression Paris made upon me. It is the most extraordinary place in the world!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/what-an-immense-impression-paris-made-upon-me-it-is-the-most/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [Immense power is acquired by assuring yourself in your secret reveries that you were born to control affairs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-carnegie/immense-power-is-acquired-by-assuring-yourself-in-your-secret/) [Andrew Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-carnegie/) > [Early on a difficult climb, especially a solo climb, you’re hyper-aware of the abyss pulling at your back, constantly feeling its call, its immense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-krakauer/early-on-a-difficult-climb-especially-a-solo-climb-you-re-hyper-aware/) [Jon Krakauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-krakauer/) > [I've developed a huge regard for Toyota for its environmental awareness, for its immense commitment to research and development in this field, and for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-strong/i-ve-developed-a-huge-regard-for-toyota-for-its-environmental/) [Maurice Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-strong/) > [God and I have built an immense fire together. We keep each other happy and warm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hafez/god-and-i-have-built-an-immense-fire-together-we-keep-each-other/) [Hafez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hafez/) ## More by Lola Ridge > [I shall know you, secrets by the litter you have left and by your bloody footprints.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lola-ridge/i-shall-know-you-secrets-by-the-litter-you-have-left-and-by-your/) [Lola Ridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lola-ridge/) > [Life You have been good to me… You have not made yourself too dear to juggle with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lola-ridge/life-you-have-been-good-to-me-you-have-not-made-yourself-too-dear-to/) [Lola Ridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lola-ridge/) > [As for the common men apart, Who sweat to keep their common breath, And have no hour for books or art-- What dreams have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lola-ridge/as-for-the-common-men-apart-who-sweat-to-keep-their-common-breath-and/) [Lola Ridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lola-ridge/) > [Out of the night you burn, Manhattan, In a vesture of gold-- Spun of innumerable arcs, Flaring and multiplying-- Gold at the uttermost circles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lola-ridge/out-of-the-night-you-burn-manhattan-in-a-vesture-of-gold-spun-of/) [Lola Ridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lola-ridge/) > [Let me cradle myself back Into the darkness Of the half shapes ... Of the cauled beginnings ... Let me stir the attar of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lola-ridge/let-me-cradle-myself-back-into-the-darkness-of-the-half-shapes-of-the/) [Lola Ridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lola-ridge/) > [Night calls to the sandhills and gathers them under her. She pushes away cities because their sharp lights hurt her soft breast. Even candles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lola-ridge/night-calls-to-the-sandhills-and-gathers-them-under-her-she-pushes/) [Lola Ridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lola-ridge/) [Explore all 7 Lola Ridge quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lola-ridge/) ## More Better life quotes > [My father longed for a better life for us, and when I was nine he got a job as a heart surgeon in Belfast.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-melua/my-father-longed-for-a-better-life-for-us-and-when-i-was-nine-he-got/) [Katie Melua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-melua/) > [A faithfully kept program of savings and conservative investments can give you more money and a better life than that of your neighbors who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-bryant-quinn/a-faithfully-kept-program-of-savings-and-conservative-investments-can/) [Jane Bryant Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-bryant-quinn/) > [“There is no greater force for change than people inspired to live a better life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/there-is-no-greater-force-for-change-than-people-inspired-to-live-a/) [Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/) > [If you want to live a meaningfully better life, you're going to have to make the dangerous choice to dissent. A life lived meaningfully…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umair-haque/if-you-want-to-live-a-meaningfully-better-life-you-re-going-to-have/) [Umair Haque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umair-haque/) > [“I've know Bruce Wayne for over 50 years, and Ive kept an eye on you your whole life. You're not Bruce's clone, you're his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-timm/i-ve-know-bruce-wayne-for-over-50-years-and-ive-kept-an-eye-on-you/) [Bruce Timm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-timm/) > [TIPS FOR A BETTER LIFE.. 1. Live without pretending. 2. Love without depending. 3. Listen without defending. 4. Speak without offending.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/tips-for-a-better-life-1-live-without-pretending-2-love-without/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [There is always the possibility of a better life with every change that we face, but sometimes we have to look hard for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowick/there-is-always-the-possibility-of-a-better-life-with-every-change/) [David Bowick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowick/) > [So in the near future, two or three years, people in Kyrgyzstan will experience a better life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurmanbek-bakiyev/so-in-the-near-future-two-or-three-years-people-in-kyrgyzstan-will/) [Kurmanbek Bakiyev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurmanbek-bakiyev/) > [I want to make sure that I fulfill the aspirations of the Gabonese people: to have access to a better life, job opportunities, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-bongo-ondimba/i-want-to-make-sure-that-i-fulfill-the-aspirations-of-the-gabonese/) [Ali Bongo Ondimba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-bongo-ondimba/) > [We will strive to make Taiwan a better place and enable our people to live better lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chen-shui-bian/we-will-strive-to-make-taiwan-a-better-place-and-enable-our-people-to/) [Chen Shui-bian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chen-shui-bian/) > [The slums are not a place of despair. Its inhabitants are all working towards a better life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikas-swarup/the-slums-are-not-a-place-of-despair-its-inhabitants-are-all-working/) [Vikas Swarup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikas-swarup/) > [I see history as really cyclical in terms of the intense idealism, and the desire to create a better life outside of societal norms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-groff/i-see-history-as-really-cyclical-in-terms-of-the-intense-idealism-and/) [Lauren Groff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-groff/) > [If I died Some people will be soo happy and though a party,Other will regret what they had said to me,and people who really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasmine/if-i-died-some-people-will-be-soo-happy-and-though-a-party-other-will/) [Jasmine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasmine/) > [There is no more important task in a democracy than resolving the differences among people and finding a course of action that will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mcnamara/there-is-no-more-important-task-in-a-democracy-than-resolving-the/) [Robert McNamara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mcnamara/) > [There isn't any wall, however high, however wide or however big, whatever it is made from, that can bar you from achieving a better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-luis-rodriguez-zapatero/there-isn-t-any-wall-however-high-however-wide-or-however-big/) [Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-luis-rodriguez-zapatero/) [Browse all 925 Better life quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-life/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Better--while life is quick And every pain immense and joy supreme, And all I have and am Flames upward to the dream ... Than like a taper forgotten in the dawn, Burning out the quick.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lola Ridge" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lola-ridge/better-while-life-is-quick-and-every-pain-immense-and-joy-supreme-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Better life" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lola-ridge/better-while-life-is-quick-and-every-pain-immense-and-joy-supreme-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff8/lola-ridge-49675_better-life_better-while-life-is-quick-and-every-pai_460507.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff8/lola-ridge-49675_better-life_better-while-life-is-quick-and-every-pai_460507.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ff8/lola-ridge-49675_better-life_better-while-life-is-quick-and-every-pai_460507.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Better--while life is quick And every pain immense and joy supreme, And all I have and am Flames upward to…” — Lola Ridge", "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": "Lola Ridge", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lola-ridge/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Better--while life is quick And every...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lola-ridge/better-while-life-is-quick-and-every-pain-immense-and-joy-supreme-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lola-ridge/better-while-life-is-quick-and-every-pain-immense-and-joy-supreme-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 } } ] } ```