--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Years on end, and swords on end - where…" description: "\"Years on end, and swords on end - where will it end, if our ears unbend - what shall I spend on a wrinkled friend in a pair of tights like a bunch of l..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a8/mervyn-peake-2927_bunch_years-on-end-and-swords-on-end-where-wil_425234.png" --- # Years on end, and swords on end - where will it end, if… ![“Years on end, and swords on end - where will it end, if our ears unbend - what shall I spend on a wrinkled friend in a pair of tights like a bunch of lights?” quote by Mervyn Peake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a8/mervyn-peake-2927_bunch_years-on-end-and-swords-on-end-where-wil_425234.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a8/mervyn-peake-2927_bunch_years-on-end-and-swords-on-end-where-wil_425234.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a8/mervyn-peake-2927_bunch_years-on-end-and-swords-on-end-where-wil_425234.png) > “Years on end, and swords on end - where will it end, if our ears unbend - what shall I spend on a wrinkled friend in a pair of tights like a bunch of lights?” [Mervyn Peake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mervyn-peake/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A questioning of endless conflict and the absurdity of material gifts to a frail companion, hinting at futility and compassion **In simple terms:** Endless war and pointless gifts to a fragile friend Key Takeaway Consider the cost of endless conflict and compassion Themes war materialism compassion absurdity Mood melancholic reflective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - military fatigue - gift giving - friendship - social critique Key Concepts existentialism humanism satire Questions to Reflect On - How does endless conflict affect personal values? - What does gifting a frail friend reveal about society? A Different Perspective May overlook the necessity of decisive action ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bunch/) [Ears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ears/) [End Ears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/end-ears-3760637/) [End Swords](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/end-swords-3760636/) [Ends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ends/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/light/) [Pair Tights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pair-tights-2895144/) [Pairs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pairs/) [Spend Wrinkled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spend-wrinkled-3760639/) [Swords End](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/swords-end-3760638/) [Tights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tights/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) ## Related quotes > [I never had a gimmick. 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I know that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-douglas/i-don-t-look-good-in-tights-i-know-that/) [Michael Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-douglas/) > [It was shocking to see a leg! You've never seen a leg in these stories. We made it a little saloon girl. We played…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerusha-hess/it-was-shocking-to-see-a-leg-you-ve-never-seen-a-leg-in-these-stories/) [Jerusha Hess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerusha-hess/) > [If you meet a girl who says: 'Darling, what do you mean? Of course I wear suspenders. I've worn them all my life. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudia-winkleman/if-you-meet-a-girl-who-says-darling-what-do-you-mean-of-course-i-wear/) [Claudia Winkleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudia-winkleman/) > [X-Pac, I always thought you were a greasy haired, cheesey bandana wearing asshole that wore green and black tights. I now think you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-jericho/x-pac-i-always-thought-you-were-a-greasy-haired-cheesey-bandana/) [Chris Jericho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-jericho/) > [The minute I'm off that stage, I try to get as 'me' as possible. I do that by piling on my black eyeliner, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/troian-bellisario/the-minute-i-m-off-that-stage-i-try-to-get-as-me-as-possible-i-do/) [Troian Bellisario](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/troian-bellisario/) > [A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/a-horse-a-horse-my-kingdom-for-a-horse/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) ## More by Mervyn Peake > [Gormenghast, that is, the main massing of the original stone, taken by itself would have displayed a certain ponderous architectural quality were it possible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mervyn-peake/gormenghast-that-is-the-main-massing-of-the-original-stone-taken-by/) [Mervyn Peake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mervyn-peake/) > [Through her, in microcosm, the wide earth sobbed. The starglobe sank in her; the colours faded. 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"I want a lot to eat, I'm going to think today.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mervyn-peake/i-want-a-big-breakfast-said-fuchsia-at-last-i-want-a-lot-to-eat-i-m/) [Mervyn Peake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mervyn-peake/) > [“Before it had awoke to die on the instant of its waking, a score of bells and clocks had shouted midday and for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mervyn-peake/before-it-had-awoke-to-die-on-the-instant-of-its-waking-a-score-of/) [Mervyn Peake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mervyn-peake/) > [“Gormenghast. Withdrawn and ruinous it broods in umbra: the immemorial masonry: the towers, the tracts. Is all corroding? No. Through an avenue of spires…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mervyn-peake/gormenghast-withdrawn-and-ruinous-it-broods-in-umbra-the-immemorial/) [Mervyn Peake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mervyn-peake/) > [“I do not understand your love,' he said.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mervyn-peake/i-do-not-understand-your-love-he-said/) [Mervyn Peake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mervyn-peake/) > [ \[Peake's books\] are actual additions to life; they give, like certain rare dreams, sensations we never had before, and enlarge our conception of the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mervyn-peake/peake-s-books-are-actual-additions-to-life-they-give-like-certain/) [Mervyn Peake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mervyn-peake/) > [Why break the heart that never beat from love?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mervyn-peake/why-break-the-heart-that-never-beat-from-love/) [Mervyn Peake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mervyn-peake/) [Explore all 143 Mervyn Peake quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mervyn-peake/) ## More Bunch quotes > [At the drop of a hat, people will say there are no roles for women after 40. It's there with a bunch of other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesley-nicol/at-the-drop-of-a-hat-people-will-say-there-are-no-roles-for-women/) [Lesley Nicol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesley-nicol/) > [“The universe contains any amount of horrible ways to be woken up, such as the noise of the mob breaking down the front door,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-universe-contains-any-amount-of-horrible-ways-to-be-woken-up-such/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [I started off playing by ear, and being around a bunch of musicians and playing in the streets and in the different parades and,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/troy-andrews/i-started-off-playing-by-ear-and-being-around-a-bunch-of-musicians/) [Troy Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/troy-andrews/) > [As the light changed from red to green to yellow and back to red again, I sat there thinking about life. 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