--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I read your poem,\" I croaked. \"'Fall.'\"…" description: "\"“I read your poem,\" I croaked. \"'Fall.'\" Then something I never thought would happen, happened: Marcus Flutie was shocked by something I said. \"You did..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/413/megan-mccafferty-1994_attraction_i-read-your-poem-i-croaked-fall-then-som_3004006.png" --- # I read your poem," I croaked. "'Fall.'" Then something I… ![“I read your poem," I croaked. "'Fall.'" Then something I never thought would happen, happened: Marcus Flutie was shocked by something I said. "You did?" he said. "I thought you lost it!" "Well someone found it for me. Where do you get off saying," I lowered my voice, "we'll be naked without shame…” quote by Megan McCafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/413/megan-mccafferty-1994_attraction_i-read-your-poem-i-croaked-fall-then-som_3004006.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/413/megan-mccafferty-1994_attraction_i-read-your-poem-i-croaked-fall-then-som_3004006.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/413/megan-mccafferty-1994_attraction_i-read-your-poem-i-croaked-fall-then-som_3004006.png) > ““I read your poem," I croaked. "'Fall.'" Then something I never thought would happen, happened: Marcus Flutie was shocked by something I said. "You did?" he said. "I thought you lost it!" "Well someone found it for me. Where do you get off saying," I lowered my voice, "we'll be naked without shame in paradise?" He didn't open his mouth. "I know what that means, you know. Who do you think I am?" He didn't open his mouth. "We are never going to be naked without shame in paradise." He didn't open his mouth. "We're NEVER going to have sex," I whispered, clearly over-stating my case. He didn't open his mouth. The mouth that used to bite mine. "And I'm just going to forget about that biting thing from the other night," I said. He looked at me right in the eyes. If he'd focused hard enough on my pupils, he could've seen his own reflection, his own face smirking at me. "You couldn't forget if you tried," he said, before walking away. He's right. And I don't know if I hate him or love him for that.”” [Megan McCafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-mccafferty/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A tense dialogue explores intimacy, shame, and the struggle to communicate desire and fear. **In simple terms:** People fear vulnerability in love. Key Takeaway Embrace honest communication despite fear. Themes intimacy shame communication desire conflict Mood melancholic intense Type literary dialogue When to use this quote - romantic encounter - confessional monologue - personal crisis Key Concepts psychology relationship dynamics Questions to Reflect On - What prevents honest expression in intimacy? - How can vulnerability be balanced with self‑protection? A Different Perspective The narrative may romanticize unhealthy emotional games. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attraction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attraction/) [Couple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/couple/) [Lost Saying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lost-saying-4782729/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Open mouth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/open-mouth/) [Poem Croaked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poem-croaked-4782728/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [Read Poem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/read-poem-387588/) [Shame Paradise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shame-paradise-4782730/) ## Related quotes > [You said you don't want to lose me, but how can you lose someone when you never tried to keep that person? How can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mygabe/you-said-you-don-t-want-to-lose-me-but-how-can-you-lose-someone-when/) [MyGabe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mygabe/) > [“What is going on with you, Rev?” He rubs his eyes. “I don’t know. I’m just tired.” I think of how he sat in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigid-kemmerer/what-is-going-on-with-you-rev-he-rubs-his-eyes-i-don-t-know-i-m-just/) [Brigid Kemmerer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigid-kemmerer/) > [Do three things each night before you go to bed: read a poem, read a short story, read an essay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/do-three-things-each-night-before-you-go-to-bed-read-a-poem-read-a/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [Every now and then I read a poem that does touch something in me, but I never turn to poetry for solace or pleasure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling-2/every-now-and-then-i-read-a-poem-that-does-touch-something-in-me-but/) [J. K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling-2/) > [“To write or read a poem is . . . to enter into a different kind of thought world from our normal patterns. A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-wright/to-write-or-read-a-poem-is-to-enter-into-a-different-kind-of-thought/) [N.T. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright/) > [“He read me another poem, and another one - and he explained the true history of poetry, which is a kind of secret, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aravind-adiga/he-read-me-another-poem-and-another-one-and-he-explained-the-true/) [Aravind Adiga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aravind-adiga/) > [To read a poem in January is as lovely as to go for a walk in June](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/to-read-a-poem-in-january-is-as-lovely-as-to-go-for-a-walk-in-june/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [“I woke up wanting to read a poem by that name, and I found one with a lifeguard’s chair, a broken shell, gulls watching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-broder/i-woke-up-wanting-to-read-a-poem-by-that-name-and-i-found-one-with-a/) [Michael Broder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-broder/) > [How does the ordinary person come to the transcendent? For a start, I would say, study poetry. Learn how to read a poem. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/how-does-the-ordinary-person-come-to-the-transcendent-for-a-start-i/) [Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/) > [One does not read a poem by Gwendolyn Brooks with hopes that it will grant him a career in engineering; he does so because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clint-smith/one-does-not-read-a-poem-by-gwendolyn-brooks-with-hopes-that-it-will/) [Clint Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clint-smith/) > [The idea of how to read a poem is based on the idea that poetry needs you as a reader. That the experience of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/the-idea-of-how-to-read-a-poem-is-based-on-the-idea-that-poetry-needs/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) > [People are so used to reading novels now, they just read a poem straight through to get the meaning. And that's something totally different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-oswald/people-are-so-used-to-reading-novels-now-they-just-read-a-poem/) [Alice Oswald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-oswald/) > [I read a poem every night, as others read a prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahar-ben-jelloun/i-read-a-poem-every-night-as-others-read-a-prayer/) [Tahar Ben Jelloun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahar-ben-jelloun/) > [“Will read a poem by Sir Walter Raleigh at his grandmother's funeral. "Pondering the joys we had, listen & keep very still. If the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynne-branard/will-read-a-poem-by-sir-walter-raleigh-at-his-grandmother-s-funeral/) [Lynne Branard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynne-branard/) > [When you read the poem, you wonder, what might Grendel have been? Could it have been a person that was turned away? Someone that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kieran-bew/when-you-read-the-poem-you-wonder-what-might-grendel-have-been-could/) [Kieran Bew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kieran-bew/) ## More by Megan McCafferty > [As much as I don't care about those things, I think it's human nature to not want to feel totally insignificant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-mccafferty/as-much-as-i-don-t-care-about-those-things-i-think-it-s-human-nature/) [Megan McCafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-mccafferty/) > [“I almost can’t believe I’m going to make myself vulnerable to him again. But what is love but the most”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-mccafferty/i-almost-can-t-believe-i-m-going-to-make-myself-vulnerable-to-him/) [Megan McCafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-mccafferty/) > [I believe that what we get out of life is what we've set ourselves up to get, so there's no such thing as an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-mccafferty/i-believe-that-what-we-get-out-of-life-is-what-we-ve-set-ourselves-up/) [Megan McCafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-mccafferty/) > [It's just Jessica and Marcus, oxymoronically alone together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-mccafferty/it-s-just-jessica-and-marcus-oxymoronically-alone-together/) [Megan McCafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-mccafferty/) > [When you say too much about anything important, it always ends up sounding more trivial than it is. Words trash it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-mccafferty/when-you-say-too-much-about-anything-important-it-always-ends-up/) [Megan McCafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-mccafferty/) > [“Don't talk to strangers. Don't do drugs. Don't smoke. Don't drink and drive. Don't have sex. Wear a condom. Wear sunblock. Wear a seat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-mccafferty/don-t-talk-to-strangers-don-t-do-drugs-don-t-smoke-don-t-drink-and/) [Megan McCafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-mccafferty/) > [“We help others only as much as they let us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-mccafferty/we-help-others-only-as-much-as-they-let-us/) [Megan McCafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-mccafferty/) > [Gone for a while Hoping, always, to return If you will let me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-mccafferty/gone-for-a-while-hoping-always-to-return-if-you-will-let-me/) [Megan McCafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-mccafferty/) > [You, yes, you, linger inside my heart The same you who stopped us before we could start.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-mccafferty/you-yes-you-linger-inside-my-heart-the-same-you-who-stopped-us-before/) [Megan McCafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-mccafferty/) > [I used to think that I wouldn't change anything from my past, because doing so would inevitably affect who I am now. But considering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-mccafferty/i-used-to-think-that-i-wouldn-t-change-anything-from-my-past-because/) [Megan McCafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-mccafferty/) > [The higher my GPA gets the more I realize high school is useless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-mccafferty/the-higher-my-gpa-gets-the-more-i-realize-high-school-is-useless/) [Megan McCafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-mccafferty/) > [I know it makes sense for me and him to just break up now and just live our seperate lives and not have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-mccafferty/i-know-it-makes-sense-for-me-and-him-to-just-break-up-now-and-just/) [Megan McCafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-mccafferty/) > [“Because I've learned that you can't control what other people are going to think about you. The best you can do in life is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-mccafferty/because-i-ve-learned-that-you-can-t-control-what-other-people-are/) [Megan McCafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-mccafferty/) > [furious flutter awakened hummingbird heart hello hello love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-mccafferty/furious-flutter-awakened-hummingbird-heart-hello-hello-love/) [Megan McCafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-mccafferty/) > [And yet I know I am too young, that we're too young, for me to live my life only as it relates to you.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-mccafferty/and-yet-i-know-i-am-too-young-that-we-re-too-young-for-me-to-live-my/) [Megan McCafferty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-mccafferty/) [Explore all 193 Megan McCafferty quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-mccafferty/) ## More Attraction quotes > [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. By suppressing differences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/what-sets-worlds-in-motion-is-the-interplay-of-differences-their/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [You cannot perceive what you are not in the vibration of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darryl-anka/you-cannot-perceive-what-you-are-not-in-the-vibration-of/) [Darryl Anka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darryl-anka/) > [What the Laws of Attraction are really about; how to harness the power of creation within you to make life what you truly desire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-redhead/what-the-laws-of-attraction-are-really-about-how-to-harness-the-power/) [Steven Redhead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-redhead/) > [You are the one who calls the law of attraction into action, and you do it through your thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhonda-byrne/you-are-the-one-who-calls-the-law-of-attraction-into-action-and-you/) [Rhonda Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhonda-byrne/) > [The vast majority of people are born, grow up, struggle and go through life in misery and failure, not realizing that it would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-vast-majority-of-people-are-born-grow-up-struggle-and-go-through/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [You don't have to say it out loud. I already know why you like me.' 'You do, huh?' 'Yep.' He wrapped his arms around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/you-don-t-have-to-say-it-out-loud-i-already-know-why-you-like-me-you/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [You don't have to be Sigmund Freud to surmise that war has a perverse appeal for the human race, nor is the attraction limited…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-willis/you-don-t-have-to-be-sigmund-freud-to-surmise-that-war-has-a-perverse/) [Ellen Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-willis/) > [It doesn't matter if they say you can't do it. It only matters if you say you can't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-mackay/it-doesn-t-matter-if-they-say-you-can-t-do-it-it-only-matters-if-you/) [Harvey Mackay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-mackay/) > [If you want to find greater happiness and fulfillment in your life, you must begin to understand and live in harmony with the law…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-canfield/if-you-want-to-find-greater-happiness-and-fulfillment-in-your-life/) [Jack Canfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-canfield/) > [We don't need to complicate all the "reasons" behind our emotions. It's much simpler than that. Two categories .. good feelings, bad feelings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhonda-byrne/we-don-t-need-to-complicate-all-the-reasons-behind-our-emotions-it-s/) [Rhonda Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhonda-byrne/) > [Focus on being grateful for what you have already .. enjoy it!! Then release into the universe. The universe will manifest it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhonda-byrne/focus-on-being-grateful-for-what-you-have-already-enjoy-it-then/) [Rhonda Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhonda-byrne/) > [I want to remind priests that the confessional must not be a torture chamber but rather an encounter with the Lord’s mercy which spurs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/i-want-to-remind-priests-that-the-confessional-must-not-be-a-torture/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [All of my work is meant to evoke a whole bunch of different layers of discord between the attraction and repulsion that we feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-jordan/all-of-my-work-is-meant-to-evoke-a-whole-bunch-of-different-layers-of/) [Chris Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-jordan/) > [War is thus divine in itself, since it is a law of the world. War is divine through its consequences of a supernatural nature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-de-maistre/war-is-thus-divine-in-itself-since-it-is-a-law-of-the-world-war-is/) [Joseph de Maistre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-de-maistre/) > [As your awareness of the riches available to you in your everyday life grows, you are on the way to becoming the laughing Buddha.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jeffers/as-your-awareness-of-the-riches-available-to-you-in-your-everyday/) [Susan Jeffers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jeffers/) [Browse all 2,005 Attraction quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attraction/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I read your poem,\" I croaked. \"'Fall.'\" Then something I never thought would happen, happened: Marcus Flutie was shocked by something I said. \"You did?\" he said. \"I thought you lost it!\" \"Well someone found it for me. Where do you get off saying,\" I lowered my voice, \"we'll be naked without shame in paradise?\" He didn't open his mouth. \"I know what that means, you know. Who do you think I am?\" He didn't open his mouth. \"We are never going to be naked without shame in paradise.\" He didn't open his mouth. \"We're NEVER going to have sex,\" I whispered, clearly over-stating my case. He didn't open his mouth. The mouth that used to bite mine. \"And I'm just going to forget about that biting thing from the other night,\" I said. He looked at me right in the eyes. If he'd focused hard enough on my pupils, he could've seen his own reflection, his own face smirking at me. \"You couldn't forget if you tried,\" he said, before walking away. He's right. And I don't know if I hate him or love him for that.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Megan McCafferty" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-mccafferty/i-read-your-poem-i-croaked-fall-then-something-i-never-thought-would/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Attraction" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-mccafferty/i-read-your-poem-i-croaked-fall-then-something-i-never-thought-would/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/413/megan-mccafferty-1994_attraction_i-read-your-poem-i-croaked-fall-then-som_3004006.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/413/megan-mccafferty-1994_attraction_i-read-your-poem-i-croaked-fall-then-som_3004006.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/413/megan-mccafferty-1994_attraction_i-read-your-poem-i-croaked-fall-then-som_3004006.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I read your poem,\" I croaked. \"'Fall.'\" Then something I never thought would happen, happened: Marcus Flutie…” — Megan McCafferty", "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": "Megan McCafferty", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-mccafferty/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I read your poem,\" I croaked....", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-mccafferty/i-read-your-poem-i-croaked-fall-then-something-i-never-thought-would/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-mccafferty/i-read-your-poem-i-croaked-fall-then-something-i-never-thought-would/#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 } } ] } ```