--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Sometimes I wish that I were dead As dead…" description: "\"“Sometimes I wish that I were dead As dead can be, but then again At times when I've been nicely fed On caviar or guinea hen And I am wearing something..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b89/margaret-fishback-68868_cyanide_sometimes-i-wish-that-i-were-dead-as-dea_2460355.jpg" --- # Sometimes I wish that I were dead As dead can be, but then… ![“Sometimes I wish that I were dead As dead can be, but then again At times when I've been nicely fed On caviar or guinea hen And I am wearing something new And reassuring, I decide It might be better to eschew My tendency to cyanide.” quote by MARGARET FISHBACK](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b89/margaret-fishback-68868_cyanide_sometimes-i-wish-that-i-were-dead-as-dea_2460355.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b89/margaret-fishback-68868_cyanide_sometimes-i-wish-that-i-were-dead-as-dea_2460355.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b89/margaret-fishback-68868_cyanide_sometimes-i-wish-that-i-were-dead-as-dea_2460355.jpg) > ““Sometimes I wish that I were dead As dead can be, but then again At times when I've been nicely fed On caviar or guinea hen And I am wearing something new And reassuring, I decide It might be better to eschew My tendency to cyanide.”” MARGARET FISHBACK ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker contemplates death as an escape, yet acknowledges fleeting pleasures and the temptation to avoid self‑destruction. **In simple terms:** Thinking of death, but also enjoying life’s small joys. Key Takeaway Find balance between despair and hope. Themes mental health existentialism addiction self‑harm Mood melancholic introspective Type ly poetic When to use this quote - therapy sessions - creative writing - nighttime rumination - personal crisis Key Concepts philosophy psychology artistic expression Questions to Reflect On - What small joys keep you grounded? - How can you redirect self‑harm urges? A Different Perspective Romanticizing death can hinder seeking help. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cyanide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cyanide/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [You've got to stop letting women slip drugs into your mouth, Dex, it's unhygienic. And dangerous. One day it'll be a cyanide capsule.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/you-ve-got-to-stop-letting-women-slip-drugs-into-your-mouth-dex-it-s/) [David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/) > [“Would you like your cyanide as it is, or by some other name?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/would-you-like-your-cyanide-as-it-is-or-by-some-other-name/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [There is bound to be someone driven mad by love who will give you the chance to study the effects of gold cyanide on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/there-is-bound-to-be-someone-driven-mad-by-love-who-will-give-you-the/) [Gabriel Garcia Marquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/) > [“Kila sumu ina kiuasumu chake. Viuasumu vya 'cyanide' ni 'amyl nitrite', 'sodium nitrite', 'cyanokit', na 'sodium thiosulfate'. Kazi ya viuasumu hivi ni kuzalisha madini…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enock-maregesi/kila-sumu-ina-kiuasumu-chake-viuasumu-vya-cyanide-ni-amyl-nitrite/) [Enock Maregesi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enock-maregesi/) > [Hey ugly folks, go get some cyanide and die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-zappa/hey-ugly-folks-go-get-some-cyanide-and-die/) [Frank Zappa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-zappa/) > [“If the young man ate candy, the wrangler says, that's probably what's kept him alive so long. Glucose is a natural antidote to cyanide…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/if-the-young-man-ate-candy-the-wrangler-says-that-s-probably-what-s/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [Did I mention I've finally decided on a nickname for you?" "I didn't know you were looking." Well, I've given the matter some serious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-adornetto/did-i-mention-i-ve-finally-decided-on-a-nickname-for-you-i-didn-t/) [Alexandra Adornetto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-adornetto/) > [He looked haggard and careworn, like a Borgia who has suddenly remembered that he has forgotten to shove cyanide in the consommé, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/he-looked-haggard-and-careworn-like-a-borgia-who-has-suddenly/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Religion is not merely the opium of the masses, it's the cyanide.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/religion-is-not-merely-the-opium-of-the-masses-it-s-the-cyanide/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [A comprehensive education is a well-stocked pharmacy: but we have no assurance that potassium cyanide will not be administered fora head cold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/a-comprehensive-education-is-a-well-stocked-pharmacy-but-we-have-no/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [Potassium cyanide," says the talent wrangler as she leans over to pick up a paper napkin off the floor. "Found naturally in the cassava…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/potassium-cyanide-says-the-talent-wrangler-as-she-leans-over-to-pick/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [“Cyanide. On ice with a twist of lime. Or water. But I’m not budging on the lime.” Lyon, Jennifer (2013-02-22). The Proposition (The Plus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-lyon/cyanide-on-ice-with-a-twist-of-lime-or-water-but-i-m-not-budging-on/) [Jennifer Lyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-lyon/) > [This unrequited love, to me it's nothing but a one-man cult/And cyanide in my styrofoam cup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-ocean/this-unrequited-love-to-me-it-s-nothing-but-a-one-man-cult-and/) [Frank Ocean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-ocean/) > [“religion is a paramount contributor to human misery. It is not merely the opium of the masses, it is the cyanide.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/religion-is-a-paramount-contributor-to-human-misery-it-is-not-merely/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [Hungarian Language — savage it may be but of a beauty that has nothing human about it, with sonorities of another universe, powerful and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emile-m-cioran/hungarian-language-savage-it-may-be-but-of-a-beauty-that-has-nothing/) [Emile M. Cioran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emile-m-cioran/) ## More by MARGARET FISHBACK > [To be polite to everybody except the people they love most is a nervous affectation that afflicts many families ... when they come home,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-fishback/to-be-polite-to-everybody-except-the-people-they-love-most-is-a/) Margaret Fishback > [My precious child, I love you and will never leave you Never, ever, during your trials and testings. When you saw only one set…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-fishback/my-precious-child-i-love-you-and-will-never-leave-you-never-ever/) Margaret Fishback > [Fashion makes the fur fly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-fishback/fashion-makes-the-fur-fly/) Margaret Fishback Explore all 4 MARGARET FISHBACK quotes ## More Cyanide quotes > [You've got to stop letting women slip drugs into your mouth, Dex, it's unhygienic. And dangerous. One day it'll be a cyanide capsule.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/you-ve-got-to-stop-letting-women-slip-drugs-into-your-mouth-dex-it-s/) [David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/) > [“religion is a paramount contributor to human misery. It is not merely the opium of the masses, it is the cyanide.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/religion-is-a-paramount-contributor-to-human-misery-it-is-not-merely/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [This unrequited love, to me it's nothing but a one-man cult/And cyanide in my styrofoam cup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-ocean/this-unrequited-love-to-me-it-s-nothing-but-a-one-man-cult-and/) [Frank Ocean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-ocean/) > [“Cyanide. On ice with a twist of lime. Or water. But I’m not budging on the lime.” Lyon, Jennifer (2013-02-22). The Proposition (The Plus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-lyon/cyanide-on-ice-with-a-twist-of-lime-or-water-but-i-m-not-budging-on/) [Jennifer Lyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-lyon/) > [Potassium cyanide," says the talent wrangler as she leans over to pick up a paper napkin off the floor. "Found naturally in the cassava…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/potassium-cyanide-says-the-talent-wrangler-as-she-leans-over-to-pick/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [A comprehensive education is a well-stocked pharmacy: but we have no assurance that potassium cyanide will not be administered fora head cold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/a-comprehensive-education-is-a-well-stocked-pharmacy-but-we-have-no/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [Religion is not merely the opium of the masses, it's the cyanide.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/religion-is-not-merely-the-opium-of-the-masses-it-s-the-cyanide/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [He looked haggard and careworn, like a Borgia who has suddenly remembered that he has forgotten to shove cyanide in the consommé, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/he-looked-haggard-and-careworn-like-a-borgia-who-has-suddenly/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Did I mention I've finally decided on a nickname for you?" "I didn't know you were looking." Well, I've given the matter some serious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-adornetto/did-i-mention-i-ve-finally-decided-on-a-nickname-for-you-i-didn-t/) [Alexandra Adornetto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-adornetto/) > [“If the young man ate candy, the wrangler says, that's probably what's kept him alive so long. Glucose is a natural antidote to cyanide…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/if-the-young-man-ate-candy-the-wrangler-says-that-s-probably-what-s/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [Hey ugly folks, go get some cyanide and die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-zappa/hey-ugly-folks-go-get-some-cyanide-and-die/) [Frank Zappa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-zappa/) > [“Kila sumu ina kiuasumu chake. Viuasumu vya 'cyanide' ni 'amyl nitrite', 'sodium nitrite', 'cyanokit', na 'sodium thiosulfate'. Kazi ya viuasumu hivi ni kuzalisha madini…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enock-maregesi/kila-sumu-ina-kiuasumu-chake-viuasumu-vya-cyanide-ni-amyl-nitrite/) [Enock Maregesi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enock-maregesi/) > [There is bound to be someone driven mad by love who will give you the chance to study the effects of gold cyanide on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/there-is-bound-to-be-someone-driven-mad-by-love-who-will-give-you-the/) [Gabriel Garcia Marquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/) > [“Would you like your cyanide as it is, or by some other name?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/would-you-like-your-cyanide-as-it-is-or-by-some-other-name/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [Hungarian Language — savage it may be but of a beauty that has nothing human about it, with sonorities of another universe, powerful and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emile-m-cioran/hungarian-language-savage-it-may-be-but-of-a-beauty-that-has-nothing/) [Emile M. Cioran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emile-m-cioran/) [Browse all 26 Cyanide quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cyanide/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Sometimes I wish that I were dead As dead can be, but then again At times when I've been nicely fed On caviar or guinea hen And I am wearing something new And reassuring, I decide It might be better to eschew My tendency to cyanide.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "MARGARET FISHBACK" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-fishback/sometimes-i-wish-that-i-were-dead-as-dead-can-be-but-then-again-at/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cyanide" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-fishback/sometimes-i-wish-that-i-were-dead-as-dead-can-be-but-then-again-at/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b89/margaret-fishback-68868_cyanide_sometimes-i-wish-that-i-were-dead-as-dea_2460355.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b89/margaret-fishback-68868_cyanide_sometimes-i-wish-that-i-were-dead-as-dea_2460355.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b89/margaret-fishback-68868_cyanide_sometimes-i-wish-that-i-were-dead-as-dea_2460355.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Sometimes I wish that I were dead As dead can be, but then again At times when I've been nicely fed On…” — MARGARET FISHBACK", "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": "MARGARET FISHBACK", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-fishback/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Sometimes I wish that I were...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-fishback/sometimes-i-wish-that-i-were-dead-as-dead-can-be-but-then-again-at/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-fishback/sometimes-i-wish-that-i-were-dead-as-dead-can-be-but-then-again-at/#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 } } ] } ```