--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Later our dreams begin catching fire…" description: "\"Later our dreams begin catching fire around the edges, they burn like paper, we wake with our hands full of ash.\" — Naomi Shihab Nye" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8b/naomi-shihab-nye-4185_ashes_later-our-dreams-begin-catching-fire-aro_757461.png" --- # Later our dreams begin catching fire around the edges… ![“Later our dreams begin catching fire around the edges, they burn like paper, we wake with our hands full of ash.” quote by Naomi Shihab Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8b/naomi-shihab-nye-4185_ashes_later-our-dreams-begin-catching-fire-aro_757461.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8b/naomi-shihab-nye-4185_ashes_later-our-dreams-begin-catching-fire-aro_757461.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8b/naomi-shihab-nye-4185_ashes_later-our-dreams-begin-catching-fire-aro_757461.png) > “Later our dreams begin catching fire around the edges, they burn like paper, we wake with our hands full of ash.” [Naomi Shihab Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-shihab-nye/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Dreams ignite intensely, then fade, leaving remnants that become ash, symbolizing fleeting passion and loss. **In simple terms:** Dreams burn bright then turn to ash. Key Takeaway Accept impermanence of passion. Themes impermanence dreams loss transformation Mood melancholic thoughtful Type poetic reflective When to use this quote - creative writing - grief processing - personal reflection Key Concepts poetry metaphor Questions to Reflect On - How do you transform the “ash” of a failed dream? - What new beginnings can arise from endings? A Different Perspective The metaphor may romanticize loss, ignoring constructive outcomes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ashes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ashes/) [Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Fire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fire/) ## Related quotes > [If u r sleeping at this moment later u only see dreams bt if u r working hard later u see fulfilment of ur…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-u-r-sleeping-at-this-moment-later-u-only-see-dreams-bt-if-u-r/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Don’t apologize for catching fire. I like it. But I want to give you more. So much more.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvain-reynard/don-t-apologize-for-catching-fire-i-like-it-but-i-want-to-give-you/) [Sylvain Reynard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvain-reynard/) > [I will not die an unlived life. I will not live in fear of falling or catching fire. I choose to inhabit my days,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawna-markova/i-will-not-die-an-unlived-life-i-will-not-live-in-fear-of-falling-or/) [Dawna Markova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawna-markova/) > [It was as unbelievable as the moon catching fire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yann-martel/it-was-as-unbelievable-as-the-moon-catching-fire/) [Yann Martel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yann-martel/) > [ You see all these old buildings \[in Rio\] going down or catching fire overnight, and it is so sad. I am very connected with… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-braga/you-see-all-these-old-buildings-in-rio-going-down-or-catching-fire/) [Sonia Braga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-braga/) > [Ships are blowing up at sea, or catching fire, factories are blowing up. Are these accidents? Are these industrial sabotage? No one really suspected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-blum/ships-are-blowing-up-at-sea-or-catching-fire-factories-are-blowing-up/) Howard Blum > [This is no place for a girl on fire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/this-is-no-place-for-a-girl-on-fire/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) > [ You come in as this satellite part of the film \[Catching Fire\], so I only see Stanley \[Tucci\] in my scenes. These kinds of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toby-jones/you-come-in-as-this-satellite-part-of-the-film-catching-fire-so-i/) [Toby Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toby-jones/) > [Despite recent speculation in the media, and after difficult but sincere consideration, I have decided not to direct 'Catching Fire.' As a writer and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-ross/despite-recent-speculation-in-the-media-and-after-difficult-but/) [Gary Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-ross/) > [In dreams begin responsibilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-dreams-begin-responsibilities/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Life is a journey of realization, which often ends in that place where dreams never begin.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/qosmic-qadence/life-is-a-journey-of-realization-which-often-ends-in-that-place-where/) Qosmic Qadence > [In dreams begin responsibilitiy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/in-dreams-begin-responsibilitiy/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [Dreams begin when you stop to pick up the penny - you realize the continual effort you must endure to have something worth obtaining](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernice-miller/dreams-begin-when-you-stop-to-pick-up-the-penny-you-realize-the/) Bernice Miller > [All our dreams begin in youth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinrich-harrer/all-our-dreams-begin-in-youth/) [Heinrich Harrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinrich-harrer/) > [“Believe in your dreams, but more importantly believe in yourself; because that's where dreams begin.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-williams/believe-in-your-dreams-but-more-importantly-believe-in-yourself/) Frank Williams ## More by Naomi Shihab Nye > [“No test can measure anything important.   On”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-shihab-nye/no-test-can-measure-anything-important-on/) [Naomi Shihab Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-shihab-nye/) > [“But I know we need to keep warm here on earth And when your shawl is as thin as mine is, you tell stories.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-shihab-nye/but-i-know-we-need-to-keep-warm-here-on-earth-and-when-your-shawl-is/) [Naomi Shihab Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-shihab-nye/) > [I support all people on earth who have bodies like and unlike my body, skins and moles and old scars, secret and public hair,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-shihab-nye/i-support-all-people-on-earth-who-have-bodies-like-and-unlike-my-body/) [Naomi Shihab Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-shihab-nye/) > [“We walked where the ancient pier juts into the sea. Stood on the rim of the pool, by the circle of black boulders. No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-shihab-nye/we-walked-where-the-ancient-pier-juts-into-the-sea-stood-on-the-rim/) [Naomi Shihab Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-shihab-nye/) > [“rounded shoulders, the shoulders of women no one has touched for a long time. Men”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-shihab-nye/rounded-shoulders-the-shoulders-of-women-no-one-has-touched-for-a/) [Naomi Shihab Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-shihab-nye/) > [I can never see fashion models, lean angular cheeks, strutting hips and blooming hair, without thinking of the skulls at the catacombs in Lima,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-shihab-nye/i-can-never-see-fashion-models-lean-angular-cheeks-strutting-hips-and/) [Naomi Shihab Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-shihab-nye/) > [I am looking for the human who admits his flaws Who shocks the adversary By being kinder not stronger What would that be like?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-shihab-nye/i-am-looking-for-the-human-who-admits-his-flaws-who-shocks-the/) [Naomi Shihab Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-shihab-nye/) > [“Remembering your mistakes more acutely than any minor success. This was the worst. The things that kept you up at night. Tip a waiter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-shihab-nye/remembering-your-mistakes-more-acutely-than-any-minor-success-this/) [Naomi Shihab Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-shihab-nye/) > [“Grief is an ambush. You’re walking along feeling fine, look down, see a leaf, and begin to weep. —Jack”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-shihab-nye/grief-is-an-ambush-you-re-walking-along-feeling-fine-look-down-see-a/) [Naomi Shihab Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-shihab-nye/) > [“Every day is a poetry day.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-shihab-nye/every-day-is-a-poetry-day/) [Naomi Shihab Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-shihab-nye/) > [Teaching and writing are separate, but serve/feed one another in so many ways. Writing travels the road inward, teaching, the road out - helping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-shihab-nye/teaching-and-writing-are-separate-but-serve-feed-one-another-in-so/) [Naomi Shihab Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-shihab-nye/) > [What did exclusivity ever have to offer but a distorted, unrealistic view of the world? People who stuck only to their own kind were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-shihab-nye/what-did-exclusivity-ever-have-to-offer-but-a-distorted-unrealistic/) [Naomi Shihab Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-shihab-nye/) > [The thousands small birds of January in their smooth soaring cloud finding the trees.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-shihab-nye/the-thousands-small-birds-of-january-in-their-smooth-soaring-cloud/) [Naomi Shihab Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-shihab-nye/) > [When allowed to return to the class, your feelings of humility and lonesomeness will render you a much finer student and person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-shihab-nye/when-allowed-to-return-to-the-class-your-feelings-of-humility-and/) [Naomi Shihab Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-shihab-nye/) > [You know, those of us who leave our homes in the morning and expect to find them there when we go back - it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-shihab-nye/you-know-those-of-us-who-leave-our-homes-in-the-morning-and-expect-to/) [Naomi Shihab Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-shihab-nye/) [Explore all 115 Naomi Shihab Nye quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-shihab-nye/) ## More Ashes quotes > [You can flush my ashes down the toilet, for all I care.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-can-flush-my-ashes-down-the-toilet-for-all-i-care/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [All that is gold does not glitter, Not all those who wander are lost; The old that is strong does not wither, Deep roots…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/all-that-is-gold-does-not-glitter-not-all-those-who-wander-are-lost/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't want to have a gravestone. I want to have all my friends burn me and then snort the ashes. I think that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-manson/i-don-t-want-to-have-a-gravestone-i-want-to-have-all-my-friends-burn/) [Marilyn Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-manson/) > [You know how this is: if I look at the crystal moon, at the red branch of the slow autumn at my window, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-neruda/you-know-how-this-is-if-i-look-at-the-crystal-moon-at-the-red-branch/) [Pablo Neruda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-neruda/) > [He said that he will never let you cry,he will always be there for you no matter how hard the situation is,that he will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhra/he-said-that-he-will-never-let-you-cry-he-will-always-be-there-for/) Zhra > [“The past is to be learned from but not lived in. We look back to claim the embers from glowing experiences but not the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-past-is-to-be-learned-from-but-not-lived-in-we-look-back-to-claim/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Much can they praise the trees so straight and high, The sailing pine,the cedar proud and tall, The vine-prop elm, the poplar never dry,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-spenser/much-can-they-praise-the-trees-so-straight-and-high-the-sailing-pine/) [Edmund Spenser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-spenser/) > [When any civilization is dust and ashes," he said, "art is all that's left over. Images, words, music. Imaginative structures. Meaning—human meaning, that is—is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/when-any-civilization-is-dust-and-ashes-he-said-art-is-all-that-s/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [Man is a noble animal, splendid in ashes, and pompous in the grave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-browne/man-is-a-noble-animal-splendid-in-ashes-and-pompous-in-the-grave/) [Thomas Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-browne/) > [“Bury us, and mark our names above. Let us be free.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-miller/bury-us-and-mark-our-names-above-let-us-be-free/) [Madeline Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-miller/) > [There is nothing quite like an Ashes trip Down Under.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-anderson/there-is-nothing-quite-like-an-ashes-trip-down-under/) [James Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-anderson/) > [I think momentum is huge in sport, especially in a series like the Ashes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-stokes/i-think-momentum-is-huge-in-sport-especially-in-a-series-like-the/) [Ben Stokes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-stokes/) > [Mark how fleeting and paltry is the estate of man-yesterday in embryo, tomorrow a mummy or ashes. So for the hairsbreadth of time assigned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/mark-how-fleeting-and-paltry-is-the-estate-of-man-yesterday-in-embryo/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [“When you burn a bridge, you have to be prepared to live with some ashes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-coppernoll/when-you-burn-a-bridge-you-have-to-be-prepared-to-live-with-some-ashes/) [Chris Coppernoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-coppernoll/) > [I would rather be ashes than dust.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-london/i-would-rather-be-ashes-than-dust/) [Jack London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-london/) [Browse all 900 Ashes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ashes/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Later our dreams begin catching fire around the edges, they burn like paper, we wake with our hands full of ash.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Naomi Shihab Nye" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-shihab-nye/later-our-dreams-begin-catching-fire-around-the-edges-they-burn-like/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ashes" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-shihab-nye/later-our-dreams-begin-catching-fire-around-the-edges-they-burn-like/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8b/naomi-shihab-nye-4185_ashes_later-our-dreams-begin-catching-fire-aro_757461.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8b/naomi-shihab-nye-4185_ashes_later-our-dreams-begin-catching-fire-aro_757461.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a8b/naomi-shihab-nye-4185_ashes_later-our-dreams-begin-catching-fire-aro_757461.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Later our dreams begin catching fire around the edges, they burn like paper, we wake with our hands full of…” — Naomi Shihab Nye", "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": "Naomi Shihab Nye", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-shihab-nye/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Later our dreams begin catching fire...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-shihab-nye/later-our-dreams-begin-catching-fire-around-the-edges-they-burn-like/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-shihab-nye/later-our-dreams-begin-catching-fire-around-the-edges-they-burn-like/#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 } } ] } ```