--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The words were on their way, and when…" description: "\"“The words were on their way, and when they arrived, she would hold them in her hands like the clouds, and she would wring them out like the rain.”\" — ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb9/markus-zusak-165_rain_the-words-were-on-their-way-and-when-the_1926073.png" --- # The words were on their way, and when they arrived, she… ![“The words were on their way, and when they arrived, she would hold them in her hands like the clouds, and she would wring them out like the rain.” quote by Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb9/markus-zusak-165_rain_the-words-were-on-their-way-and-when-the_1926073.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb9/markus-zusak-165_rain_the-words-were-on-their-way-and-when-the_1926073.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb9/markus-zusak-165_rain_the-words-were-on-their-way-and-when-the_1926073.png) > ““The words were on their way, and when they arrived, she would hold them in her hands like the clouds, and she would wring them out like the rain.”” [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Words are imagined as tangible objects that can be held, shaped, and released, highlighting the power of language to capture and transform emotions. **In simple terms:** Language can be held and reshaped like clouds and rain. Key Takeaway Treat words as tools to shape feelings. Themes language emotion creativity Mood reflective inspired Type literary poetic When to use this quote - writing - therapy - public speaking - teaching - conflict resolution Key Concepts metaphor poetic imagery Questions to Reflect On - How do you physically engage with ideas? - What emotions do you shape with words? A Different Perspective Words may not always convey intended meaning. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Rain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rain/) ## Related quotes > [“though, the words were on their way, and when they arrived, Liesel would hold them in her hands like the clouds, and she would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/though-the-words-were-on-their-way-and-when-they-arrived-liesel-would/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [“Trust me, though, the words were on their way, and when they arrived, Liesel would hold them in her hands like the clouds, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/trust-me-though-the-words-were-on-their-way-and-when-they-arrived/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [“You will not be a mystic until you are like the earth— both the righteous and the sinner tread upon it— and until you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bayazid-bistami/you-will-not-be-a-mystic-until-you-are-like-the-earth-both-the/) Bayazid Bistami > [“For now, Rudy and Liesel made their way onto Himmel Street in the rain. He was the crazy one who had painted himself black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/for-now-rudy-and-liesel-made-their-way-onto-himmel-street-in-the-rain/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [Words are words, but the way an actor says them, the way it's framed, puts you either in the world that looks a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-sarsgaard/words-are-words-but-the-way-an-actor-says-them-the-way-it-s-framed/) [Peter Sarsgaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-sarsgaard/) > [Words and music equally important. But the way to get what I'm looking for is different in each case. I have something specific I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/todd-snider/words-and-music-equally-important-but-the-way-to-get-what-i-m-looking/) [Todd Snider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/todd-snider/) > [“Words are not the only way we communicate, you and I. They never were.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-duran/words-are-not-the-only-way-we-communicate-you-and-i-they-never-were/) [Meredith Duran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-duran/) > [“Words had a way of creating their own imperatives.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/words-had-a-way-of-creating-their-own-imperatives/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [“Words have a way of coming back to haunt us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-e-nelson/words-have-a-way-of-coming-back-to-haunt-us/) [Alan E. Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-e-nelson/) > [“I have a way with words, & they have a way of lingering...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-have-a-way-with-words-they-have-a-way-of-lingering/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't really act. I say the words the way I would say them if I meant them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-crisp/i-don-t-really-act-i-say-the-words-the-way-i-would-say-them-if-i/) [Quentin Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-crisp/) > [I prefer the sorts of words that go their own way and are very choosy about where they end up. They don't fall for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-lutz/i-prefer-the-sorts-of-words-that-go-their-own-way-and-are-very-choosy/) [Gary Lutz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-lutz/) > [“Writers are always scrapping one word for a better one. Regular people just say stuff, they don't replace there words ever. Its the only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-parker/writers-are-always-scrapping-one-word-for-a-better-one-regular-people/) [Morgan Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-parker/) > [It's funny because I've made a living off of words, but words get in the way of what you really want to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kanye-west/it-s-funny-because-i-ve-made-a-living-off-of-words-but-words-get-in/) [Kanye West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kanye-west/) > [Maps were so much easier than words. Words had a way of getting muddled, or meaning two things at once.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesley-howarth/maps-were-so-much-easier-than-words-words-had-a-way-of-getting/) [Lesley Howarth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesley-howarth/) ## More by Markus Zusak > [Liesel observed the strangeness of her foster father's eyes. They were made of kindness, and silver.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/liesel-observed-the-strangeness-of-her-foster-father-s-eyes-they-were/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [I think that as a writer your responsibility is to search for and stir up the things that are in this world. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/i-think-that-as-a-writer-your-responsibility-is-to-search-for-and/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [“For two days I went about my business. I travelled the globe as always, handing souls to the conveyor belt of eternity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/for-two-days-i-went-about-my-business-i-travelled-the-globe-as-always/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [It is early, early morning. It's that time when it's still dark but you know the day is coming. Blue is bleeding through black.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/it-is-early-early-morning-it-s-that-time-when-it-s-still-dark-but-you/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [“I'm twenty years old and look at me-- there isn't a thing I want to do”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/i-m-twenty-years-old-and-look-at-me-there-isn-t-a-thing-i-want-to-do/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [You should give it to Max, Liesel. See if you can leave it on the bedside table, like all the other things." Liesel watched…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/you-should-give-it-to-max-liesel-see-if-you-can-leave-it-on-the/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [“When a woman with an iron fist tells you to get out there and clean spit off the door, you do it. Especially when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/when-a-woman-with-an-iron-fist-tells-you-to-get-out-there-and-clean/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [Is there cowardice with the acknowledgement of fear?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/is-there-cowardice-with-the-acknowledgement-of-fear/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [In years to come, he would be a giver of bread, not a stealer - proof again of the contradictory human being. So much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/in-years-to-come-he-would-be-a-giver-of-bread-not-a-stealer-proof/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [“«¿Por qué no puede oírlo el resto del mundo? —me pregunto. En pocos segundos me lo pregunto muchas veces—. Porque no le importa —me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/por-qu-no-puede-o-rlo-el-resto-del-mundo-me-pregunto-en-pocos/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [Could she smell my breath? Could she hear my cursed circular heart beat revolving like the crime it is in my deathly chest?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/could-she-smell-my-breath-could-she-hear-my-cursed-circular-heart/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [I see how complicated it is to make a film and how many people are involved and I love the fact that I get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/i-see-how-complicated-it-is-to-make-a-film-and-how-many-people-are/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [One wild card was yet to be played.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/one-wild-card-was-yet-to-be-played/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [“Može li netko ukrasti sreću? Ili je i to još jedan unutarnji, paklenski ljudski trik?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/mo-e-li-netko-ukrasti-sre-u-ili-je-i-to-jo-jedan-unutarnji-paklenski/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) > [I look at my first books and am glad they weren't published… You start writing by imitating your heroes, then you keep the heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/i-look-at-my-first-books-and-am-glad-they-weren-t-published-you-start/) [Markus Zusak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) [Explore all 953 Markus Zusak quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/) ## More Rain quotes > [“As ofttimes as it rains on my little spot of earth, you'd think I'd grow accustomed to the gloom.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/as-ofttimes-as-it-rains-on-my-little-spot-of-earth-you-d-think-i-d/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [Every drop of rain hits its appointed target.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-newton/every-drop-of-rain-hits-its-appointed-target/) [John Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-newton/) > [No matter how strong the storm, how hard the rain and how vicious the wind there is always a gap in the clouds for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-greenhalgh/no-matter-how-strong-the-storm-how-hard-the-rain-and-how-vicious-the/) Ben Greenhalgh > [The crisis of our diminishing water resources is just as severe (if less obviously immediate) as any wartime crisis we have ever faced. Our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-wright/the-crisis-of-our-diminishing-water-resources-is-just-as-severe-if/) Jim Wright > [Some would call me an environmentalist. I don't know why. I reuse the water that falls in my backyard in the winter. I reuse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-begley-jr/some-would-call-me-an-environmentalist-i-don-t-know-why-i-reuse-the/) [Ed Begley, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-begley-jr/) > [He will hear the rain before he feels it, a clicking on the dry grass, on the olive leaves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ondaatje/he-will-hear-the-rain-before-he-feels-it-a-clicking-on-the-dry-grass/) [Michael Ondaatje](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ondaatje/) > [“It's our rain, Beth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-mcgarry/it-s-our-rain-beth/) [Katie McGarry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-mcgarry/) > [“A flower needs the rain to grow just as much as it needs the sunshine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-mummert/a-flower-needs-the-rain-to-grow-just-as-much-as-it-needs-the-sunshine/) [Teresa Mummert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-mummert/) > [“The next forty-five minutes in that office was about as much fun as a day at Disney World—when it’s pouring rain. And all there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/the-next-forty-five-minutes-in-that-office-was-about-as-much-fun-as-a/) [James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/) > [The Louvre! The Louvre has me in its clutches. Every time I'm there rich blessings rain down upon me. I am coming to understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-modersohn-becker/the-louvre-the-louvre-has-me-in-its-clutches-every-time-i-m-there/) [Paula Modersohn-Becker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-modersohn-becker/) > [He put his hands on her shoulders and kissed her full on the mouth. His skin was wet with rain. When she didn't pull…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelia-funke/he-put-his-hands-on-her-shoulders-and-kissed-her-full-on-the-mouth/) [Cornelia Funke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelia-funke/) > [Joel Lane documents a life we don’t quite live, in a city we can’t quite find: half glimpsed and half imagined, we know it’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaz-brenchley/joel-lane-documents-a-life-we-don-t-quite-live-in-a-city-we-can-t/) Chaz Brenchley > [Yes, Brazil, like the whole world, stands to lose a lot in a climate-altered world. But it's also one of the major forces determining…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gisele-bundchen/yes-brazil-like-the-whole-world-stands-to-lose-a-lot-in-a-climate/) [Gisele Bundchen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gisele-bundchen/) > [I love walking in rain coz no one knows that I m crying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idreesbhat/i-love-walking-in-rain-coz-no-one-knows-that-i-m-crying/) Idreesbhat > [Fortunately, like most children, I had learned what is most valuable, most indispensable for life before school years began, taught by apple trees, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/fortunately-like-most-children-i-had-learned-what-is-most-valuable/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) [Browse all 5,150 Rain quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rain/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The words were on their way, and when they arrived, she would hold them in her hands like the clouds, and she would wring them out like the rain.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Markus Zusak" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/the-words-were-on-their-way-and-when-they-arrived-she-would-hold-them/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Rain" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/the-words-were-on-their-way-and-when-they-arrived-she-would-hold-them/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb9/markus-zusak-165_rain_the-words-were-on-their-way-and-when-the_1926073.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb9/markus-zusak-165_rain_the-words-were-on-their-way-and-when-the_1926073.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb9/markus-zusak-165_rain_the-words-were-on-their-way-and-when-the_1926073.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The words were on their way, and when they arrived, she would hold them in her hands like the clouds, and…” — Markus Zusak", "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": "Markus Zusak", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-zusak/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The words were on their way,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/the-words-were-on-their-way-and-when-they-arrived-she-would-hold-them/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-zusak/the-words-were-on-their-way-and-when-they-arrived-she-would-hold-them/#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 } } ] } ```