Able Quote by Michael Ondaatje
“Sometimes when she is able to spend the night with him they are wakened by the three minarets of the city beginning their prayers before dawn. He walks with her through the indigo markets that lie between South Cairo and her home. The beautiful songs of faith enter the air like arrows, one minaret answering another, as if passing on a rumor of the two of them as they walk through the cold morning air, the smell of charcoal and hemp already making the air profound. Sinners in a holy city.”
About This Quote
Source Novel: The English Patient, Michael Ondaatje, 1992
A nocturnal walk through Cairo’s markets, where prayer calls and the city’s scent create an intimate, spiritual atmosphere between lovers.
In simple terms: Love amid holy city’s dawn.
Key Takeaway
Cherish moments of shared intimacy.
Themes
love
spirituality
cityscape
morning
culture
Mood
reflective
poetic
Type
literary
descriptive
When to use this quote
- night walk
- early morning
- cultural immersion
- shared secrets
Key Concepts
romance
sensory imagery
ritual
Questions to Reflect On
- How does setting shape intimacy?
- What does the city’s prayer symbolize?
A Different Perspective
Romantic idealism may overlook harsh realities.
![“[On George H.W. Bush:] A man who wishes to lead the Western world should be able to find the right words, string them together in coherent sentences, and steer them to an intelligible conclusion. His sentences have the stuttering start of an old car on a cold morning. They never run smoothly. The…” quote by Mary McGrory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/11b/mary-mcgrory-28645_able_on-george-h-w-bush-a-man-who-wishes-to-l_167495.jpg)
