--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Like two doomed ships that pass in storm…" description: "\"Like two doomed ships that pass in storm we had crossed each other's way: but we made no sign, we said no word, we had no word to say.\" — Oscar Wilde" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/262/oscar-wilde-16_hobos_like-two-doomed-ships-that-pass-in-storm_2286937.jpg" --- # Like two doomed ships that pass in storm we had crossed… ![“Like two doomed ships that pass in storm we had crossed each other's way: but we made no sign, we said no word, we had no word to say.” quote by Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/262/oscar-wilde-16_hobos_like-two-doomed-ships-that-pass-in-storm_2286937.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/262/oscar-wilde-16_hobos_like-two-doomed-ships-that-pass-in-storm_2286937.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/262/oscar-wilde-16_hobos_like-two-doomed-ships-that-pass-in-storm_2286937.jpg) > “Like two doomed ships that pass in storm we had crossed each other's way: but we made no sign, we said no word, we had no word to say.” [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Two people pass each other like doomed ships in a storm, unable to communicate despite proximity. **In simple terms:** Missed connections despite being close. Key Takeaway Seek genuine communication before chances fade. Themes communication missed opportunities destiny loneliness Mood melancholic reflective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - relationships - social gatherings - first encounters Key Concepts unspoken words inevitable separation storm metaphor Questions to Reflect On - What prevents you from speaking up? - How could you bridge silent gaps? A Different Perspective Even proximity can’t guarantee connection without effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Hobos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hobos/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Poverty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poverty/) ## Related quotes > [“Like two doomed ships that pass in storm We had crossed each other's way: But we made no sign, we said no word, We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/like-two-doomed-ships-that-pass-in-storm-we-had-crossed-each-other-s-2/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“We wrote our names in the sand You crossed mine out: I can't get back to the way I was.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiera-woodhull/we-wrote-our-names-in-the-sand-you-crossed-mine-out-i-can-t-get-back/) [Kiera Woodhull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiera-woodhull/) > [“All we who write put me in mind of sailors hastily making rafts upon doomed ships. When we break up under the heavy years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-dunsany/all-we-who-write-put-me-in-mind-of-sailors-hastily-making-rafts-upon/) [Lord Dunsany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-dunsany/) > [“as we watched seaward-moving ships pass between the cliffs of burning skyline, she said: 'years from now, years and years, one of those ships…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/as-we-watched-seaward-moving-ships-pass-between-the-cliffs-of-burning/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [Ships that pass in the night, and speak each other in passing, only a signal shown, and a distant voice in the darkness; So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/ships-that-pass-in-the-night-and-speak-each-other-in-passing-only-a/) [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/) > [What's with the poverty Tourette's? Why do these two think we need a hobo for president?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/what-s-with-the-poverty-tourette-s-why-do-these-two-think-we-need-a/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [Rick Rubin had his hair - I don't think it's ever been cut and very - dresses like a hobo, usually - clean but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-cash/rick-rubin-had-his-hair-i-don-t-think-it-s-ever-been-cut-and-very/) [Johnny Cash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-cash/) > [My mother, we were a very poor family. When I was a kid, we would be in our little room, and there would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-douglas/my-mother-we-were-a-very-poor-family-when-i-was-a-kid-we-would-be-in/) [Kirk Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-douglas/) > [I'm superstitious. Before I start a movie, I always kill a hobo with a hammer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwyneth-paltrow/i-m-superstitious-before-i-start-a-movie-i-always-kill-a-hobo-with-a/) [Gwyneth Paltrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwyneth-paltrow/) > [Work/Loaf Ratio”...I have spent fourteen years perfecting... I won't bore you with a long-winded explanation of the “W/LR” save to say that it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-reilly/work-loaf-ratio-i-have-spent-fourteen-years-perfecting-i-won-t-bore/) [Gary Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-reilly/) > [Nothing says romance like hobos, martyrs and decapitations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-ferguson/nothing-says-romance-like-hobos-martyrs-and-decapitations/) [Craig Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-ferguson/) > [I know the police cause you trouble They cause trouble everywhere But when you die and go to heaven You find no policeman there](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-guthrie/i-know-the-police-cause-you-trouble-they-cause-trouble-everywhere-but/) [Woody Guthrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-guthrie/) > [“hobos' (a slang term that combines the words 'hope' and 'bowl of beans given to me for free by a woman who then initiated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patton-oswalt/hobos-a-slang-term-that-combines-the-words-hope-and-bowl-of-beans/) [Patton Oswalt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patton-oswalt/) > [“I don't do my work for any kind of group in particular, except for hobos, who just plain kick ass and light up my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jhonen-vasquez/i-don-t-do-my-work-for-any-kind-of-group-in-particular-except-for/) [Jhonen Vasquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jhonen-vasquez/) > [You say the sweetest things. And that spaghetti perfume you're wearing is to die for. No hobo could resist." She snarled. Heh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/you-say-the-sweetest-things-and-that-spaghetti-perfume-you-re-wearing/) [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) ## More by Oscar Wilde > [How else but through a broken heart may Lord Christ enter in?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/how-else-but-through-a-broken-heart-may-lord-christ-enter-in/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [The books that the world calls immoral are the books that show the world its own shame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-books-that-the-world-calls-immoral-are-the-books-that-show-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Bachelors should be heavily taxed. It is not fair that some men should be happier than others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/bachelors-should-be-heavily-taxed-it-is-not-fair-that-some-men-should/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Who, being loved, is poor?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/who-being-loved-is-poor/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Basil my dear boy puts everything that is charming in him into his work. The consequence is that he has nothing left for life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/basil-my-dear-boy-puts-everything-that-is-charming-in-him-into-his/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Anybody can be good in the country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/anybody-can-be-good-in-the-country/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [I don't at all like knowing what people say of me behind my back. It makes me far too conceited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/i-don-t-at-all-like-knowing-what-people-say-of-me-behind-my-back-it/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Alles Populäre ist falsch.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/alles-popul-re-ist-falsch/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“If these elements of beauty are real, the whole thing simply appeals to our sense of dramatic effect. Suddenly we find that we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/if-these-elements-of-beauty-are-real-the-whole-thing-simply-appeals/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [To love one's self is the beginning of a life-long romance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/to-love-one-s-self-is-the-beginning-of-a-life-long-romance/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Those who find beautiful meanings in beautiful things are the cultivated. For these there is hope.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/those-who-find-beautiful-meanings-in-beautiful-things-are-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Men always want to be a womans first love. Women have a more subtle instinct: What they like is to be a mans last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/men-always-want-to-be-a-womans-first-love-women-have-a-more-subtle/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Why is it that at a bachelor's establishment the servants invariably drink the champagne.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/why-is-it-that-at-a-bachelor-s-establishment-the-servants-invariably/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Moderation is a fatal thing. Enough is as bad as a meal. More than enough is as good as a feast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/moderation-is-a-fatal-thing-enough-is-as-bad-as-a-meal-more-than/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Beauty is the only thing that time cannot harm. Philosophies fall away like sand, creeds follow one another, but what is beautiful is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/beauty-is-the-only-thing-that-time-cannot-harm-philosophies-fall-away/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) [Explore all 3,343 Oscar Wilde quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## More Hobos quotes > [You say the sweetest things. And that spaghetti perfume you're wearing is to die for. No hobo could resist." She snarled. Heh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/you-say-the-sweetest-things-and-that-spaghetti-perfume-you-re-wearing/) [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) > [“I don't do my work for any kind of group in particular, except for hobos, who just plain kick ass and light up my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jhonen-vasquez/i-don-t-do-my-work-for-any-kind-of-group-in-particular-except-for/) [Jhonen Vasquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jhonen-vasquez/) > [“hobos' (a slang term that combines the words 'hope' and 'bowl of beans given to me for free by a woman who then initiated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patton-oswalt/hobos-a-slang-term-that-combines-the-words-hope-and-bowl-of-beans/) [Patton Oswalt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patton-oswalt/) > [I know the police cause you trouble They cause trouble everywhere But when you die and go to heaven You find no policeman there](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-guthrie/i-know-the-police-cause-you-trouble-they-cause-trouble-everywhere-but/) [Woody Guthrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-guthrie/) > [Nothing says romance like hobos, martyrs and decapitations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-ferguson/nothing-says-romance-like-hobos-martyrs-and-decapitations/) [Craig Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-ferguson/) > [Work/Loaf Ratio”...I have spent fourteen years perfecting... I won't bore you with a long-winded explanation of the “W/LR” save to say that it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-reilly/work-loaf-ratio-i-have-spent-fourteen-years-perfecting-i-won-t-bore/) [Gary Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-reilly/) > [I'm superstitious. Before I start a movie, I always kill a hobo with a hammer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gwyneth-paltrow/i-m-superstitious-before-i-start-a-movie-i-always-kill-a-hobo-with-a/) [Gwyneth Paltrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gwyneth-paltrow/) > [My mother, we were a very poor family. When I was a kid, we would be in our little room, and there would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-douglas/my-mother-we-were-a-very-poor-family-when-i-was-a-kid-we-would-be-in/) [Kirk Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-douglas/) > [Rick Rubin had his hair - I don't think it's ever been cut and very - dresses like a hobo, usually - clean but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-cash/rick-rubin-had-his-hair-i-don-t-think-it-s-ever-been-cut-and-very/) [Johnny Cash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-cash/) > [What's with the poverty Tourette's? Why do these two think we need a hobo for president?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/what-s-with-the-poverty-tourette-s-why-do-these-two-think-we-need-a/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [If life is music, I sometimes feel as though I was born on the off-beat of the song, and I love it. As Christian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/if-life-is-music-i-sometimes-feel-as-though-i-was-born-on-the-off/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [Your mouth tastes like a hobos taint.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hank-moody/your-mouth-tastes-like-a-hobos-taint/) [Hank Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hank-moody/) > [“Jesus was a strange hobo who walked on water—”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/jesus-was-a-strange-hobo-who-walked-on-water/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [ After an initial solo album in which the young \[Bob\] Dylan was just finding his voice (i.e., reinventing himself from the middle-class Robert Zimmerman… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-michaelson/after-an-initial-solo-album-in-which-the-young-bob-dylan-was-just/) [Jay Michaelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-michaelson/) > [I'm not a vagrant. I'm a hobo. Big difference.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-child/i-m-not-a-vagrant-i-m-a-hobo-big-difference/) [Lee Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-child/) [Browse all 31 Hobos quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hobos/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Like two doomed ships that pass in storm we had crossed each other's way: but we made no sign, we said no word, we had no word to say.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Oscar Wilde" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/like-two-doomed-ships-that-pass-in-storm-we-had-crossed-each-other-s/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Hobos" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/like-two-doomed-ships-that-pass-in-storm-we-had-crossed-each-other-s/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/262/oscar-wilde-16_hobos_like-two-doomed-ships-that-pass-in-storm_2286937.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/262/oscar-wilde-16_hobos_like-two-doomed-ships-that-pass-in-storm_2286937.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/262/oscar-wilde-16_hobos_like-two-doomed-ships-that-pass-in-storm_2286937.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Like two doomed ships that pass in storm we had crossed each other's way: but we made no sign, we said no…” — Oscar Wilde", "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": "Oscar Wilde", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Like two doomed ships that pass...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/like-two-doomed-ships-that-pass-in-storm-we-had-crossed-each-other-s/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/like-two-doomed-ships-that-pass-in-storm-we-had-crossed-each-other-s/#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 } } ] } ```