--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In Man's heart is a little room. He has…" description: "\"“In Man's heart is a little room. He has named it Oblivion. And things are ranged along its walls That he does not wish To think about. Every time that..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c29/opal-whiteley-35712_beauty_in-man-s-heart-is-a-little-room-he-has-n_2253075.png" --- # In Man's heart is a little room. He has named it Oblivion… ![“In Man's heart is a little room. He has named it Oblivion. And things are ranged along its walls That he does not wish To think about. Every time that he pushes something in there, He closes the door very tightly. But in hours when he is weary, In the hours that walk around some midnights, When…” quote by Opal Whiteley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c29/opal-whiteley-35712_beauty_in-man-s-heart-is-a-little-room-he-has-n_2253075.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c29/opal-whiteley-35712_beauty_in-man-s-heart-is-a-little-room-he-has-n_2253075.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c29/opal-whiteley-35712_beauty_in-man-s-heart-is-a-little-room-he-has-n_2253075.png) > ““In Man's heart is a little room. He has named it Oblivion. And things are ranged along its walls That he does not wish To think about. Every time that he pushes something in there, He closes the door very tightly. But in hours when he is weary, In the hours that walk around some midnights, When high fires have burned To a low flicker, Then the little door swings on its hinges And no thing Will make it stay closed All of the time. When he is near death, All the velvet-footed wanderers in there Join the throng around his bed. "We will not die," they whisper To one another, While Beauty waits with drawn lips, And dry eyes. But there is heard The patter of a little sad rain In her heart's garden, Where some little flower buds That were once thinking of the sun Will never open, Because Man keeps a little room Of oblivion in his soul.”” [Opal Whiteley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/opal-whiteley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The mind hides painful thoughts in a secret compartment, but they eventually surface, especially near life's end. **In simple terms:** We lock away pain, yet it resurfaces. Key Takeaway Acknowledge hidden emotions. Themes psychology mortality memory pain acceptance Mood melancholic reflective Type poetic philosophical When to use this quote - grief counseling - personal reflection - creative writing - therapy sessions Key Concepts repression inner conflict life cycle Questions to Reflect On - What “rooms” do you keep locked? - How might confronting them change your outlook? A Different Perspective Denial can deepen suffering if unaddressed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beauty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beauty/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Little Room](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/little-room-722827/) [Near death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/near-death/) [Oblivion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oblivion/) [Oblivion Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oblivion-soul-2732188/) [Oblivion Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oblivion-things-594528/) [Room Oblivion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/room-oblivion-5154347/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [The value of art is its ability to look into the "world of oblivion" and to find things that are generally unrecognized, forgotten, invisible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasumasa-morimura/the-value-of-art-is-its-ability-to-look-into-the-world-of-oblivion/) [Yasumasa Morimura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasumasa-morimura/) > [Sing then the core of dark and absolute oblivion where the soul at last is lost in utter peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-h-lawrence/sing-then-the-core-of-dark-and-absolute-oblivion-where-the-soul-at/) [D. H. Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-h-lawrence/) > [Our little room was morbidly quiet and sorrow was heaped in my corner like dirty snow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-macdonald/our-little-room-was-morbidly-quiet-and-sorrow-was-heaped-in-my-corner/) [Betty MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-macdonald/) > [“The little room was filled with American records and a phonograph. Izzy would let me stay back there and listen to them. I listened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-dylan/the-little-room-was-filled-with-american-records-and-a-phonograph/) [Bob Dylan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-dylan/) > [“Where there is such self-love there is very little room for anything else, even hate.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-l-sullivan/where-there-is-such-self-love-there-is-very-little-room-for-anything/) [Laura L. Sullivan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-l-sullivan/) > [I can remember very clearly sitting in a little room in my apartment going, 'You know what, Jace? I think it's time to go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-clarke/i-can-remember-very-clearly-sitting-in-a-little-room-in-my-apartment/) [Jason Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-clarke/) > [“My father had left a small collection of books in a little room upstairs, to which I had access (for it adjoined my own)…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/my-father-had-left-a-small-collection-of-books-in-a-little-room/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [“There was little room for adventure without faith.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tessa-gratton/there-was-little-room-for-adventure-without-faith/) [Tessa Gratton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tessa-gratton/) > [Infinite riches in a little room.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-marlowe/infinite-riches-in-a-little-room/) [Christopher Marlowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-marlowe/) > [For love all love of other sights controls and makes one little room an everywhere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-donne/for-love-all-love-of-other-sights-controls-and-makes-one-little-room/) [John Donne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-donne/) > [When you are in the public eye as a person of color, you are given very little room to mess up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yara-shahidi/when-you-are-in-the-public-eye-as-a-person-of-color-you-are-given/) [Yara Shahidi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yara-shahidi/) > [We may have a tiny little room that we rent, and if we keep it clean and it's impeccable, then we gain a power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/we-may-have-a-tiny-little-room-that-we-rent-and-if-we-keep-it-clean/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Normally, I just sit in my quiet little room and do the small things that bring me pleasures. I read my books, I answer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-swartz/normally-i-just-sit-in-my-quiet-little-room-and-do-the-small-things/) [Aaron Swartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-swartz/) > [“In the basement of Sydney's new house is a little room that is about the size and shape of a coffin.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-chaon/in-the-basement-of-sydney-s-new-house-is-a-little-room-that-is-about/) [Dan Chaon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-chaon/) > [A little while alone in your room will prove more valuable than anything else that could ever be given you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/a-little-while-alone-in-your-room-will-prove-more-valuable-than/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) ## More by Opal Whiteley > [And this I have learned grown-ups do not know the language of shadows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/opal-whiteley/and-this-i-have-learned-grown-ups-do-not-know-the-language-of-shadows/) [Opal Whiteley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/opal-whiteley/) > [I like to sing when I have works to do - it does so help.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/opal-whiteley/i-like-to-sing-when-i-have-works-to-do-it-does-so-help/) [Opal Whiteley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/opal-whiteley/) > [“I had sees there was joy-lights in her eyes and the looks he looked at her was like the looks the young husband of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/opal-whiteley/i-had-sees-there-was-joy-lights-in-her-eyes-and-the-looks-he-looked/) [Opal Whiteley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/opal-whiteley/) > [By the wood-shed is a brook. It goes singing on. Its joy-song does sing in my heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/opal-whiteley/by-the-wood-shed-is-a-brook-it-goes-singing-on-its-joy-song-does-sing/) [Opal Whiteley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/opal-whiteley/) > [The matter of making christening robes for caterpillars, it is not a difficult one; the difficulty is to get a frisky caterpillar to keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/opal-whiteley/the-matter-of-making-christening-robes-for-caterpillars-it-is-not-a/) [Opal Whiteley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/opal-whiteley/) > [Potatoes are very interesting folks. I think they must see a lot of what is going on in the earth - they have so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/opal-whiteley/potatoes-are-very-interesting-folks-i-think-they-must-see-a-lot-of/) [Opal Whiteley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/opal-whiteley/) > [“He is a most strong man. He put his arms around the penseé girl and he most lifted her off the ground. He did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/opal-whiteley/he-is-a-most-strong-man-he-put-his-arms-around-the-pense-girl-and-he/) [Opal Whiteley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/opal-whiteley/) > [It is such a comfort to nestle up to Michael Angelo Sanzio Raphael when one is in trouble. He is such a grand tree.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/opal-whiteley/it-is-such-a-comfort-to-nestle-up-to-michael-angelo-sanzio-raphael/) [Opal Whiteley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/opal-whiteley/) > [The wind comes creeping, it calls to me to come go exploring. It sings of the things that are to be found under the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/opal-whiteley/the-wind-comes-creeping-it-calls-to-me-to-come-go-exploring-it-sings/) [Opal Whiteley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/opal-whiteley/) > [“When I grow up, I am going to write for children — and grownups that haven't grown up too much — all the earth-songs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/opal-whiteley/when-i-grow-up-i-am-going-to-write-for-children-and-grownups-that/) [Opal Whiteley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/opal-whiteley/) > [And all the times I was picking up potatoes, I did have conversations with them. Too, I did have thinks of all their growing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/opal-whiteley/and-all-the-times-i-was-picking-up-potatoes-i-did-have-conversations/) [Opal Whiteley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/opal-whiteley/) > [When one does look up at the grand trees growing up almost to the sky, one does always have longings to pray.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/opal-whiteley/when-one-does-look-up-at-the-grand-trees-growing-up-almost-to-the-sky/) [Opal Whiteley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/opal-whiteley/) [Explore all 13 Opal Whiteley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/opal-whiteley/) ## More Beauty quotes > [We do not want nowadays temples of worship and outward rites and ceremonies. What we really want is an Asram. We want a place…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/we-do-not-want-nowadays-temples-of-worship-and-outward-rites-and/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [How could anybody confuse truth with beauty, I thought as I looked at him. Truth came with sunken eyes, bony or scarred, decayed. Its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-fitch/how-could-anybody-confuse-truth-with-beauty-i-thought-as-i-looked-at/) [Janet Fitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-fitch/) > [A thing of beauty is a joy for ever;It's loveliness increase;it will never pass into nothingness;but still will keep a bower quiet for us,and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keats/a-thing-of-beauty-is-a-joy-for-ever-it-s-loveliness-increase-it-will/) [John Keats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keats/) > [To fathom the power, to witness the beauty, to bathe in the fountain, to swing on the spiral of our divinity, and still be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tool/to-fathom-the-power-to-witness-the-beauty-to-bathe-in-the-fountain-to/) [Tool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tool/) > [The term "black metal" has become a lot looser, or can include a larger range of sounds and extra-musical aesthetics, not just Satan and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-marston/the-term-black-metal-has-become-a-lot-looser-or-can-include-a-larger/) [Colin Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-marston/) > [“We've all met people who are beautiful on the outside, however, when they open their mouths to speak, they have nothing of substance to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-c-young/we-ve-all-met-people-who-are-beautiful-on-the-outside-however-when/) [Susan C. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-c-young/) > [There are various orders of beauty, causing men to make fools of themselves in various styles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/there-are-various-orders-of-beauty-causing-men-to-make-fools-of/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [To me, the beauty of a quilt or a dress lies within the stitches and the thought of the person who made them. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie/to-me-the-beauty-of-a-quilt-or-a-dress-lies-within-the-stitches-and/) [Natalie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie/) > [“do not misunderstand person by beauty You really do not know its real or Mask on dirty thoughts”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohammed-zaki-ansari/do-not-misunderstand-person-by-beauty-you-really-do-not-know-its-real/) [Mohammed Zaki Ansari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohammed-zaki-ansari/) > [“I already love in you your beauty, but I am only beginning to love in you that which is eternal and ever precious –…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/i-already-love-in-you-your-beauty-but-i-am-only-beginning-to-love-in/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [The more perfect the sight is the more delightful the beautiful object. The more perfect the appetite, the sweeter the food. The more musical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-baxter/the-more-perfect-the-sight-is-the-more-delightful-the-beautiful/) [Richard Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-baxter/) > [Call her beautiful a million times and she won't believe you. Call her ugly once, and she will never forget it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tumblr/call-her-beautiful-a-million-times-and-she-won-t-believe-you-call-her/) [Tumblr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tumblr/) > [Time can but make her beauty over again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/time-can-but-make-her-beauty-over-again/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [ The social \[media channel\] isn't about beauty contests and popularity contests. They're a distortion, a caricature of the real thing. It's about trust, connection,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umair-haque/the-social-media-channel-isn-t-about-beauty-contests-and-popularity/) [Umair Haque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umair-haque/) > [“What about you? What do you do?” I needed to ask questions, draw him out. I needed to find out all the information I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-avery-ellison/what-about-you-what-do-you-do-i-needed-to-ask-questions-draw-him-out/) [Kate Avery Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-avery-ellison/) [Browse all 24,662 Beauty quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beauty/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“In Man's heart is a little room. He has named it Oblivion. And things are ranged along its walls That he does not wish To think about. Every time that he pushes something in there, He closes the door very tightly. But in hours when he is weary, In the hours that walk around some midnights, When high fires have burned To a low flicker, Then the little door swings on its hinges And no thing Will make it stay closed All of the time. When he is near death, All the velvet-footed wanderers in there Join the throng around his bed. \"We will not die,\" they whisper To one another, While Beauty waits with drawn lips, And dry eyes. But there is heard The patter of a little sad rain In her heart's garden, Where some little flower buds That were once thinking of the sun Will never open, Because Man keeps a little room Of oblivion in his soul.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Opal Whiteley" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/opal-whiteley/in-man-s-heart-is-a-little-room-he-has-named-it-oblivion-and-things/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Beauty" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/opal-whiteley/in-man-s-heart-is-a-little-room-he-has-named-it-oblivion-and-things/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c29/opal-whiteley-35712_beauty_in-man-s-heart-is-a-little-room-he-has-n_2253075.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c29/opal-whiteley-35712_beauty_in-man-s-heart-is-a-little-room-he-has-n_2253075.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c29/opal-whiteley-35712_beauty_in-man-s-heart-is-a-little-room-he-has-n_2253075.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In Man's heart is a little room. He has named it Oblivion. And things are ranged along its walls That he…” — Opal Whiteley", "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": "Opal Whiteley", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/opal-whiteley/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“In Man's heart is a little...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/opal-whiteley/in-man-s-heart-is-a-little-room-he-has-named-it-oblivion-and-things/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/opal-whiteley/in-man-s-heart-is-a-little-room-he-has-named-it-oblivion-and-things/#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 } } ] } ```