--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A child, then a man, now a feather /…" description: "\"A child, then a man, now a feather / Passing through a furious fire / Called time.\" — Mary Jo Bang" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bf/mary-jo-bang-35145_child_a-child-then-a-man-now-a-feather-passing_2655122.jpg" --- # A child, then a man, now a feather / Passing through a… ![“A child, then a man, now a feather / Passing through a furious fire / Called time.” quote by Mary Jo Bang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bf/mary-jo-bang-35145_child_a-child-then-a-man-now-a-feather-passing_2655122.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bf/mary-jo-bang-35145_child_a-child-then-a-man-now-a-feather-passing_2655122.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bf/mary-jo-bang-35145_child_a-child-then-a-man-now-a-feather-passing_2655122.jpg) > “A child, then a man, now a feather / Passing through a furious fire / Called time.” [Mary Jo Bang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-jo-bang/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life evolves from childhood through adulthood, burning through challenges like fire, called time. **In simple terms:** Life changes like fire over time. Key Takeaway Embrace each stage of life. Themes growth time transformation Mood contemplative hopeful Type poetic inspirational When to use this quote - personal development - career changes - relationships - creative projects Key Concepts poetry metaphor Questions to Reflect On - What fire are you passing through? - How does time shape your identity? A Different Perspective Time can feel relentless and unforgiving. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child/) [Child Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child-man-456259/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Father](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/father/) [Feather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feather/) [Feather Passing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feather-passing-2382066/) [Feathers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feathers/) [Fire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fire/) [Furious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/furious/) [Grief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grief/) [Man Feather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-feather-2382065/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Passing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passing/) [Passing through](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passing-through/) [Passings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/passings/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“To stomach the world for any prolonged length of time, one must either remain a child or become more than a man”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-lieber/to-stomach-the-world-for-any-prolonged-length-of-time-one-must-either/) [Michael Lieber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-lieber/) > [A child who does not play is not a child, but the man who doesn't play has lost forever the child who lived in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-neruda/a-child-who-does-not-play-is-not-a-child-but-the-man-who-doesn-t-play/) [Pablo Neruda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-neruda/) > [In every man there is a hidden child which is called the urge to create and he prefers as play things and serious things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-morgenstern/in-every-man-there-is-a-hidden-child-which-is-called-the-urge-to/) [Christian Morgenstern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-morgenstern/) > [“The child-man, then, is the lost son of a host of economic and cultural changes: the demographic shift I call preadulthood, the Playboy philosophy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-hymowitz/the-child-man-then-is-the-lost-son-of-a-host-of-economic-and-cultural/) [Kay Hymowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-hymowitz/) > [“Give me a child until he is 7 and I will show you the man.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/give-me-a-child-until-he-is-7-and-i-will-show-you-the-man/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [When I was a child, I acted like child, but when I became a man, I put away childish things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-smith/when-i-was-a-child-i-acted-like-child-but-when-i-became-a-man-i-put/) [Shane Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-smith/) > [“My child? A man has no children, it is only woman who has children, and therefore the future is hers when we die childless.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-strindberg/my-child-a-man-has-no-children-it-is-only-woman-who-has-children-and/) [August Strindberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-strindberg/) > [If you apologize because you are afraid, then you are a child not a man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidney-poitier/if-you-apologize-because-you-are-afraid-then-you-are-a-child-not-a-man/) [Sidney Poitier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidney-poitier/) > [Life begins as a quest of the child for the man, and ends as a journey by the man to rediscover the child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-ewing/life-begins-as-a-quest-of-the-child-for-the-man-and-ends-as-a-journey/) [Sam Ewing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-ewing/) > [A woman should never underestimate the power of the child in the man. Sometimes the child seems to be in the driver's seat at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-brothers/a-woman-should-never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-child-in-the-man/) [Joyce Brothers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-brothers/) > [I just don't believe that a woman is naturally closer to her child than a man. Not at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leila-slimani/i-just-don-t-believe-that-a-woman-is-naturally-closer-to-her-child/) [Leila Slimani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leila-slimani/) > [“But it's a child ! You're a man !" "Your powers of observation are formidable," said Charles. "You are a credit to your optician.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-rundell/but-it-s-a-child-you-re-a-man-your-powers-of-observation-are/) [Katherine Rundell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-rundell/) > [“In short, I should have liked to have had the lightest license of a child, and yet be man enough to know its value”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/in-short-i-should-have-liked-to-have-had-the-lightest-license-of-a/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [A heart is a heart in a child or a man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-hale/a-heart-is-a-heart-in-a-child-or-a-man/) [Shannon Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-hale/) > [Kids feel like they can approach me, which is nice. I've created this character who's like a child-man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-fielding/kids-feel-like-they-can-approach-me-which-is-nice-i-ve-created-this/) [Noel Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-fielding/) ## More by Mary Jo Bang > [“He appointed a general Overseer who would, as time went on, transfer All the pointless wealth from nation to nation, From one family to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-jo-bang/he-appointed-a-general-overseer-who-would-as-time-went-on-transfer/) [Mary Jo Bang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-jo-bang/) > [What is desire but the hard wire argument given to the mind's unstoppable mouth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-jo-bang/what-is-desire-but-the-hard-wire-argument-given-to-the-mind-s/) [Mary Jo Bang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-jo-bang/) > [“Hoarding and wasting kept them out of Heaven And brought them to this barroom brawl; I won't try to prettify it with words.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-jo-bang/hoarding-and-wasting-kept-them-out-of-heaven-and-brought-them-to-this/) [Mary Jo Bang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-jo-bang/) > [“You were. You are The brightest thing in the shop window And the most beautiful seldom I ever saw”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-jo-bang/you-were-you-are-the-brightest-thing-in-the-shop-window-and-the-most/) [Mary Jo Bang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-jo-bang/) > [And now the question: what do we do with the longing for what can destroy us?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-jo-bang/and-now-the-question-what-do-we-do-with-the-longing-for-what-can/) [Mary Jo Bang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-jo-bang/) > [Why are you not where you belong? / A black hat on a hook says nothing. / Ashes mirror ashes / In a mirroring window.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-jo-bang/why-are-you-not-where-you-belong-a-black-hat-on-a-hook-says-nothing/) [Mary Jo Bang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-jo-bang/) > [Bertrand Russell said, 'Electricity is not a thing like St. Paul's Cathedral; it is a way in which things behave.' And it's not 'they'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-jo-bang/bertrand-russell-said-electricity-is-not-a-thing-like-st-paul-s/) [Mary Jo Bang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-jo-bang/) > [To say you loved a person. / To say that person no longer exists. / A tragic flawed fate going on and on and on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-jo-bang/to-say-you-loved-a-person-to-say-that-person-no-longer-exists-a/) [Mary Jo Bang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-jo-bang/) > [The wheel begins its only if turning. / It had never stopped. / This is life's bargain that motion / Is hope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-jo-bang/the-wheel-begins-its-only-if-turning-it-had-never-stopped-this-is/) [Mary Jo Bang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-jo-bang/) > [You are reduced / To the after-sorrow / That will last my lifetime. The hair-tearing / Grief of the mother / Whose child has been swept away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-jo-bang/you-are-reduced-to-the-after-sorrow-that-will-last-my-lifetime-the/) [Mary Jo Bang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-jo-bang/) > [“T. S. Eliot taught us you can write about your nervous breakdown, but call it 'The Wasteland' and make it big and crazy enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-jo-bang/t-s-eliot-taught-us-you-can-write-about-your-nervous-breakdown-but/) [Mary Jo Bang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-jo-bang/) > [I say every dog looks like no other but that isn't true. Not entirely. Difference is slippery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-jo-bang/i-say-every-dog-looks-like-no-other-but-that-isn-t-true-not-entirely/) [Mary Jo Bang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-jo-bang/) [Explore all 13 Mary Jo Bang quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-jo-bang/) ## More Child quotes > [The thing about hitting kids is, think about if you were doing the same thing to another adult. Hitting your kid is really the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/the-thing-about-hitting-kids-is-think-about-if-you-were-doing-the/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [“Children's lives are always beginning and adults' lives are always ending. Or is it the opposite? Your childhood is always ending and your adult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-espach/children-s-lives-are-always-beginning-and-adults-lives-are-always/) [Alison Espach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-espach/) > [“As parents who make every effort we can to raise our children in loving security, we do not need to feel more guilt than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabor-mat/as-parents-who-make-every-effort-we-can-to-raise-our-children-in/) [Gabor Maté](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabor-mat/) > [I want to make my music and be a happy woman, a good wife, a good mom and one day hopefully have a child…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leann-rimes/i-want-to-make-my-music-and-be-a-happy-woman-a-good-wife-a-good-mom/) [LeAnn Rimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leann-rimes/) > [I would have done well as a gypsy child, I think. A circus baby. I coulda played a great street urchin or ragamuffin. Or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-lyonne/i-would-have-done-well-as-a-gypsy-child-i-think-a-circus-baby-i/) [Natasha Lyonne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-lyonne/) > [We're raising children who have little tolerance for disappointment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/we-re-raising-children-who-have-little-tolerance-for-disappointment/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [I'm a weirdo and an only child. That comes together to create one-woman shows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-seales/i-m-a-weirdo-and-an-only-child-that-comes-together-to-create-one/) [Amanda Seales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-seales/) > [“Every child is born as angel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/every-child-is-born-as-angel/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [To assist a child we must provide him with an environment which will enable him to develop freely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/to-assist-a-child-we-must-provide-him-with-an-environment-which-will/) [Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/) > [Almost everywhere we find . . . the use of various coercive measures, to rid ourselves as quickly as possible of the child withinus--i.e.,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-miller/almost-everywhere-we-find-the-use-of-various-coercive-measures-to-rid/) [Alice Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-miller/) > [Since I was a little child, my nose - I think it's too big.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-dion/since-i-was-a-little-child-my-nose-i-think-it-s-too-big/) [Celine Dion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-dion/) > [if we center our lives on BMWs, RVs, VCRs, PCs and the other acronyms of consumerism, we cannot expect our children to do otherwise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnnetta-b-cole/if-we-center-our-lives-on-bmws-rvs-vcrs-pcs-and-the-other-acronyms-of/) [Johnnetta B. Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnnetta-b-cole/) > [Bring up your children in the way you think other peoples children should go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/bring-up-your-children-in-the-way-you-think-other-peoples-children/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Parents who are stressed or disturbed will have more difficulty in meeting their children's needs. Parents who have little support--from friends, relatives, neighbors, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-kamerman/parents-who-are-stressed-or-disturbed-will-have-more-difficulty-in/) [Sheila Kamerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-kamerman/) > [My first three manuscripts were epic fantasy - like high fantasy - and then the fourth one was a historical fantasy about Mozart as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-lu/my-first-three-manuscripts-were-epic-fantasy-like-high-fantasy-and/) [Marie Lu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-lu/) [Browse all 10,700 Child quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/child/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A child, then a man, now a feather / Passing through a furious fire / Called time.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mary Jo Bang" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-jo-bang/a-child-then-a-man-now-a-feather-passing-through-a-furious-fire/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Child" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-jo-bang/a-child-then-a-man-now-a-feather-passing-through-a-furious-fire/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bf/mary-jo-bang-35145_child_a-child-then-a-man-now-a-feather-passing_2655122.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bf/mary-jo-bang-35145_child_a-child-then-a-man-now-a-feather-passing_2655122.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1bf/mary-jo-bang-35145_child_a-child-then-a-man-now-a-feather-passing_2655122.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A child, then a man, now a feather / Passing through a furious fire / Called time.” — Mary Jo Bang", "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": "Mary Jo Bang", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-jo-bang/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A child, then a man, now...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-jo-bang/a-child-then-a-man-now-a-feather-passing-through-a-furious-fire/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-jo-bang/a-child-then-a-man-now-a-feather-passing-through-a-furious-fire/#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 } } ] } ```