--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The word is a bouncing ball The ruler…" description: "\"The word is a bouncing ball The ruler throws from his balcony. The word has been a shot of morphine. Rulers calm their people with speeches.\" — Nizar Q..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ff/nizar-qabbani-13012_balconies_the-word-is-a-bouncing-ball-the-ruler-th_3164000.jpg" --- # The word is a bouncing ball The ruler throws from his… ![“The word is a bouncing ball The ruler throws from his balcony. The word has been a shot of morphine. Rulers calm their people with speeches.” quote by Nizar Qabbani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ff/nizar-qabbani-13012_balconies_the-word-is-a-bouncing-ball-the-ruler-th_3164000.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ff/nizar-qabbani-13012_balconies_the-word-is-a-bouncing-ball-the-ruler-th_3164000.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ff/nizar-qabbani-13012_balconies_the-word-is-a-bouncing-ball-the-ruler-th_3164000.jpg) > “The word is a bouncing ball The ruler throws from his balcony. The word has been a shot of morphine. Rulers calm their people with speeches.” [Nizar Qabbani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nizar-qabbani/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Language can be both a weapon and a comfort, wielded by those in power to control or soothe the masses. **In simple terms:** Words can hurt or heal, depending on who uses them. Key Takeaway Recognize how language shapes perception and power. Themes power language control comfort politics Mood reflective critical analytical Type aphilosophical inspirational When to use this quote - political speeches - media messaging - public persuasion - propaganda - public health communication Key Concepts Rhetoric psychology social influence Questions to Reflect On - How do you use words to influence others? - When have words failed to calm a situation? A Different Perspective Words may be misinterpreted or lose impact without context. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bouncing ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bouncing-ball/) [Calm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/calm/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Rulers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rulers/) [Speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speech/) ## Related quotes > [“Lucifer's bouncing balls, Kitten, not again! by Bones”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanine/lucifer-s-bouncing-balls-kitten-not-again-by-bones/) Jeanine > [The Common Curriculum can easily become the karaoke curriculum, where everyone just follows the bouncing ball of the script.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-hargreaves/the-common-curriculum-can-easily-become-the-karaoke-curriculum-where/) [Andy Hargreaves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-hargreaves/) > [“The world was indeed a kind of screen and did not manifest itself other than by passing me on and on—I was just the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/witold-gombrowicz/the-world-was-indeed-a-kind-of-screen-and-did-not-manifest-itself/) [Witold Gombrowicz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/witold-gombrowicz/) > [Change is a bouncing ball on the circumference of a circle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kin-hubbard/change-is-a-bouncing-ball-on-the-circumference-of-a-circle/) [Kin Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kin-hubbard/) > [You will soon understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. But the other four balls -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-dyson/you-will-soon-understand-that-work-is-a-rubber-ball-if-you-drop-it-it/) [Brian Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-dyson/) > [Life is like a bouncing ball...some goes up and sometimes goes down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaurav/life-is-like-a-bouncing-ball-some-goes-up-and-sometimes-goes-down/) [Gaurav](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaurav/) > [“None that I could understand, but he did illustrate his point with a thought experiment. It’s called the Infinite Hallway.” Langdon paused, taking another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-brown/none-that-i-could-understand-but-he-did-illustrate-his-point-with-a/) [Dan Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-brown/) > [I went to schools that were small enough that basically everyone was in a play. I played a bouncing ball in a production of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/i-went-to-schools-that-were-small-enough-that-basically-everyone-was/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [“Lucifer's bouncing balls, Kitten, not again!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeaniene-frost/lucifer-s-bouncing-balls-kitten-not-again/) [Jeaniene Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeaniene-frost/) > [Only bad golfers are lucky. They're the ones bouncing balls off trees, curbs, turtles and cars. Good golfers have bad luck. When you hit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-trevino/only-bad-golfers-are-lucky-they-re-the-ones-bouncing-balls-off-trees/) [Lee Trevino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-trevino/) > [ \[Boxed\] Multiple bouncing balls in a box are a metaphor for community. Notice how the escaping balls explode. This is what happens to people… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wall/boxed-multiple-bouncing-balls-in-a-box-are-a-metaphor-for-community/) [Larry Wall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wall/) > [“Lucifer’s bouncing balls, Kitten, not again! You’re not a woman, you’re the Grim Reaper with red hair! Come on, Kitten, let’s go. Before you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeaniene-frost/lucifer-s-bouncing-balls-kitten-not-again-you-re-not-a-woman-you-re/) [Jeaniene Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeaniene-frost/) > [“To illustrate this relation, think of a game of table tennis. As the ball hits the table, it will bounce up and down. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henning-genz/to-illustrate-this-relation-think-of-a-game-of-table-tennis-as-the/) [Henning Genz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henning-genz/) > [The challenge for me has first been to see things as they are, whether a portrait, a city street, or a bouncing ball. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/berenice-abbott/the-challenge-for-me-has-first-been-to-see-things-as-they-are-whether/) [Berenice Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/berenice-abbott/) > [“Lucifer's bouncing balls, Kitten, not again!" Uh-oh. I squirmed, instinctively also trying to block Tony's body from his view. As if that made him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeaniene-frost/lucifer-s-bouncing-balls-kitten-not-again-uh-oh-i-squirmed/) [Jeaniene Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeaniene-frost/) ## More by Nizar Qabbani > [“When I wiped you from the book of memory, I did not know I was striking out half my life”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nizar-qabbani/when-i-wiped-you-from-the-book-of-memory-i-did-not-know-i-was/) [Nizar Qabbani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nizar-qabbani/) > [never believe a man can change a woman those men are pretenders who think that they created women from one of their ribs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nizar-qabbani/never-believe-a-man-can-change-a-woman-those-men-are-pretenders-who/) [Nizar Qabbani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nizar-qabbani/) > [We killed you and it was not new for us, we killed the companions of the Prophet and the friends of God. O how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nizar-qabbani/we-killed-you-and-it-was-not-new-for-us-we-killed-the-companions-of/) [Nizar Qabbani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nizar-qabbani/) > [Love in the Arab world is like a prisoner, and I want to set (it) free. I want to free the Arab soul, sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nizar-qabbani/love-in-the-arab-world-is-like-a-prisoner-and-i-want-to-set-it-free-i/) [Nizar Qabbani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nizar-qabbani/) > [“He who fights the destinies to stay with you, He who finds his life better beside you, and clings to you despite of all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nizar-qabbani/he-who-fights-the-destinies-to-stay-with-you-he-who-finds-his-life/) [Nizar Qabbani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nizar-qabbani/) > [When a man is in love how can he use old words? Should a woman desiring her lover lie down with grammarians and linguists?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nizar-qabbani/when-a-man-is-in-love-how-can-he-use-old-words-should-a-woman/) [Nizar Qabbani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nizar-qabbani/) > [Days will pass, and you’ll abandon things you were addicted to, and leave someone, and cancel a dream, and finally, accept a reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nizar-qabbani/days-will-pass-and-you-ll-abandon-things-you-were-addicted-to-and/) [Nizar Qabbani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nizar-qabbani/) > [A tragedy, when a mature mind and a romantic heart are in the same body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nizar-qabbani/a-tragedy-when-a-mature-mind-and-a-romantic-heart-are-in-the-same-body/) [Nizar Qabbani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nizar-qabbani/) > [Don’t lose a woman that has seen your flaws and still love you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nizar-qabbani/don-t-lose-a-woman-that-has-seen-your-flaws-and-still-love-you/) [Nizar Qabbani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nizar-qabbani/) > [“Oh Jerusalem, the city of sorrow A big tear wandering in the eye Who will halt the aggression? On you, the pearl of religions?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nizar-qabbani/oh-jerusalem-the-city-of-sorrow-a-big-tear-wandering-in-the-eye-who/) [Nizar Qabbani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nizar-qabbani/) > [My lover asks me: “What is the difference between me and the sky?” The difference, my love, Is that when you laugh, I forget…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nizar-qabbani/my-lover-asks-me-what-is-the-difference-between-me-and-the-sky-the/) [Nizar Qabbani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nizar-qabbani/) > [Life doesn't stop after losing someone, but it goes on without them differently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nizar-qabbani/life-doesn-t-stop-after-losing-someone-but-it-goes-on-without-them/) [Nizar Qabbani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nizar-qabbani/) > [O Sultan, my master, if my clothes are ripped and torn it is because your dogs with claws are allowed to tear me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nizar-qabbani/o-sultan-my-master-if-my-clothes-are-ripped-and-torn-it-is-because/) [Nizar Qabbani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nizar-qabbani/) > [It's painful to listen to the barking of dogs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nizar-qabbani/it-s-painful-to-listen-to-the-barking-of-dogs/) [Nizar Qabbani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nizar-qabbani/) > [Arab children, Corn ears of the future, You will break our chains, Kill the opium in our heads, Kill the illusions. Arab children, Don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nizar-qabbani/arab-children-corn-ears-of-the-future-you-will-break-our-chains-kill/) [Nizar Qabbani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nizar-qabbani/) [Explore all 51 Nizar Qabbani quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nizar-qabbani/) ## More Balconies quotes > [I climbed down the outside of a Holiday Inn once just to surprise one of my crew by getting on his balcony and knocking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lemmy-kilmister/i-climbed-down-the-outside-of-a-holiday-inn-once-just-to-surprise-one/) [Lemmy Kilmister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lemmy-kilmister/) > [It's an enormous amount of work: there are 28 separate buildings, and I work on the choice of the colors for everything. Outside colors,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hench/it-s-an-enormous-amount-of-work-there-are-28-separate-buildings-and-i/) [John Hench](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hench/) > [I’ll be back tomorrow,” he said, “at nine o’clock. Don’t open your door to anyone else.” “Not even my balcony door?” “Especially not your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-fortier/i-ll-be-back-tomorrow-he-said-at-nine-o-clock-don-t-open-your-door-to/) [Anne Fortier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-fortier/) > [It was the kind of town that made you feel like Humphrey Bogart: you came in on a bumpy little plane, and, for some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/it-was-the-kind-of-town-that-made-you-feel-like-humphrey-bogart-you/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [I love to walk through the streets of Jesus Maria and Pueblo Libre. The Spanish colonial buildings are in bright colors, two stories high,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-alarcon/i-love-to-walk-through-the-streets-of-jesus-maria-and-pueblo-libre/) [Daniel Alarcon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-alarcon/) > [...you must play for the little fellow in the last row of the balcony who only has fifty cents to pay for a ticket.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-tabuteau/you-must-play-for-the-little-fellow-in-the-last-row-of-the-balcony/) Marcel Tabuteau > [I do an opening in 'The Glory of the World' play at BAM, and then I go up to the high balcony in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-oldham/i-do-an-opening-in-the-glory-of-the-world-play-at-bam-and-then-i-go/) [Will Oldham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-oldham/) > [The switch had two settings. You could either turn it to AUTO, in which case the awning lowered itself whenever the sun came out,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/the-switch-had-two-settings-you-could-either-turn-it-to-auto-in-which/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [I watched the Trade Center buildings go down from my balcony, and it was a terrifying moment. I couldn't get my mind around it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-brothers/i-watched-the-trade-center-buildings-go-down-from-my-balcony-and-it/) [Joyce Brothers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-brothers/) > [Here is something that Peach, one of the Casserole Queens, says about men and women and love. You know that scene in Romeo and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-caletti/here-is-something-that-peach-one-of-the-casserole-queens-says-about/) [Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/) > [Here I came to the very edge where nothing at all needs saying, everything is absorbed through weather and the sea, and the moon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-neruda/here-i-came-to-the-very-edge-where-nothing-at-all-needs-saying/) [Pablo Neruda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-neruda/) > [Consider the situation. There you are, forehead like a set of balconies, worrying about the long-term effects of all this new 'fire' stuff on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/consider-the-situation-there-you-are-forehead-like-a-set-of-balconies/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Didn't love, like a plant from India, require a prepared soil, a particular temperature? Sighs in the moonlight, long embraces, tears flowing over hands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustave-flaubert/didn-t-love-like-a-plant-from-india-require-a-prepared-soil-a/) [Gustave Flaubert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustave-flaubert/) > [ I was on set \[Romeo + Juliet\] maybe an hour for two days. It was in this big cathedral in Mexico City. I just… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quindon-tarver/i-was-on-set-romeo-juliet-maybe-an-hour-for-two-days-it-was-in-this/) [Quindon Tarver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quindon-tarver/) > [I grew up in Houston, and I remember we had separate drinking fountains, and black people sat in the balcony of the theater... We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-quaid/i-grew-up-in-houston-and-i-remember-we-had-separate-drinking/) [Dennis Quaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-quaid/) Browse all 85 Balconies quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The word is a bouncing ball The ruler throws from his balcony. The word has been a shot of morphine. Rulers calm their people with speeches.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nizar Qabbani" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nizar-qabbani/the-word-is-a-bouncing-ball-the-ruler-throws-from-his-balcony-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Balconies" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nizar-qabbani/the-word-is-a-bouncing-ball-the-ruler-throws-from-his-balcony-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ff/nizar-qabbani-13012_balconies_the-word-is-a-bouncing-ball-the-ruler-th_3164000.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ff/nizar-qabbani-13012_balconies_the-word-is-a-bouncing-ball-the-ruler-th_3164000.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9ff/nizar-qabbani-13012_balconies_the-word-is-a-bouncing-ball-the-ruler-th_3164000.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The word is a bouncing ball The ruler throws from his balcony. The word has been a shot of morphine. Rulers…” — Nizar Qabbani", "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": "Nizar Qabbani", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nizar-qabbani/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The word is a bouncing ball...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nizar-qabbani/the-word-is-a-bouncing-ball-the-ruler-throws-from-his-balcony-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nizar-qabbani/the-word-is-a-bouncing-ball-the-ruler-throws-from-his-balcony-the/#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 } } ] } ```