Every man Quote by May Sarton
““I see you with that shell Held to your sensitive abstracted ear, Hunting the ocean’s rumor till you hear it well, Until you can set down the sound you hear:— Fixed to a shell like that you made immortal, This heart listens, this fragile auricle Holds rumor like your ocean’s, is a portal That sometimes opens to contain the miracle. If there are miracles we can record They happen in the places that you curse. Blessèd the pure in heart and the enduring word Sings of that love that spins the universe. My honor (and I cherish it for it is hardly won) Is to be pure in this: is to believe That to write down these perishable songs for one, For one alone, and out of love, is not to grieve But to build on the quicksand of despair A house where every man may take his ease, May come to shelter from the outer air, A little house where he may find his peace.””
About This Quote
The poem portrays the heart as a delicate vessel that captures the ocean’s whispers, turning fleeting miracles into lasting songs that offer shelter and peace.
In simple terms: Listening deeply creates lasting, comforting art.
Key Takeaway
Deep listening transforms fleeting wonder into enduring comfort.
Themes
creativity
spirituality
resilience
art
inner peace
Mood
reflective
hopeful
melancholic
Type
poetic
philosophical
spiritual
When to use this quote
- writing poetry after a loss
- creating a safe space for grieving friends
- composing music from natural sounds
Key Concepts
the metaphor of the shell as a recorder
the paradox of fragility and immortality
Practical Applications
- record personal insights in a journal
- share simple, heartfelt stories to comfort others
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you honor fleeting moments without idealizing them?
- What simple practices help you turn pain into something lasting?
A Different Perspective
The metaphor may romanticize suffering, implying all pain can be transmuted into art, which isn’t always possible.
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