--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Worlds on worlds are rolling ever From…" description: "\"Worlds on worlds are rolling ever From creation to decay, Like the bubbles on a river Sparkling, bursting, borne away.\" — Percy Bysshe Shelley" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/990/percy-bysshe-shelley-476_bubbles_worlds-on-worlds-are-rolling-ever-from-c_1800731.jpg" --- # Worlds on worlds are rolling ever From creation to decay… ![“Worlds on worlds are rolling ever From creation to decay, Like the bubbles on a river Sparkling, bursting, borne away.” quote by Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/990/percy-bysshe-shelley-476_bubbles_worlds-on-worlds-are-rolling-ever-from-c_1800731.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/990/percy-bysshe-shelley-476_bubbles_worlds-on-worlds-are-rolling-ever-from-c_1800731.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/990/percy-bysshe-shelley-476_bubbles_worlds-on-worlds-are-rolling-ever-from-c_1800731.jpg) > “Worlds on worlds are rolling ever From creation to decay, Like the bubbles on a river Sparkling, bursting, borne away.” [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life is a series of cycles from creation to decay, like bubbles that sparkle then burst and drift away. **In simple terms:** Life cycles like bubbles, forming, shining, then fading. Key Takeaway Accept impermanence and cherish moments. Themes impermanence cycle beauty Mood melancholic contemplative Type poetic reflective When to use this quote - personal reflection - creative writing - philosophical contemplation - mindfulness - artistic expression Key Concepts transience entropy ephemerality Questions to Reflect On - How do you respond when something beautiful fades? - What can you learn from fleeting moments? A Different Perspective The metaphor may oversimplify complex processes of change. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bubbles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bubbles/) [Bursting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bursting/) [Creation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creation/) [Decay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decay/) [River Sparkling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/river-sparkling-2028873/) [Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rivers/) [Rolling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rolling/) [Sparkling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sparkling/) [Sparkling Bursting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sparkling-bursting-2028872/) [Transience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/transience/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [Worlds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worlds/) [Worlds Rolling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worlds-rolling-2028871/) [Worlds Worlds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worlds-worlds-1030667/) ## Related quotes > [“Even if I now saw you only once, I would long for you through worlds, worlds.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/izumi-shikibu/even-if-i-now-saw-you-only-once-i-would-long-for-you-through-worlds/) [Izumi Shikibu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/izumi-shikibu/) > [Always, worlds within worlds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clive-barker/always-worlds-within-worlds/) [Clive Barker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clive-barker/) > [There are worlds beyond worlds and times beyond times, all of them true, all of them real, and all of them (as children know)…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-l-travers/there-are-worlds-beyond-worlds-and-times-beyond-times-all-of-them/) [P. L. Travers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-l-travers/) > [I felt like I had proof that not all days are the same length, not all time has the same weight. Proof that there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-rifka-brunt/i-felt-like-i-had-proof-that-not-all-days-are-the-same-length-not-all/) [Carol Rifka Brunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-rifka-brunt/) > [I like the transience of Klimt paintings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-coogan/i-like-the-transience-of-klimt-paintings/) [Steve Coogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-coogan/) > [“Since nothing is permanent, will transience conform to this law and become permanent?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/since-nothing-is-permanent-will-transience-conform-to-this-law-and/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [The likeness of the world? A shadow! And world's glory? A dream!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-grillparzer/the-likeness-of-the-world-a-shadow-and-world-s-glory-a-dream/) [Franz Grillparzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-grillparzer/) > [“Everything that now exists, no matter how great and good it is, lasts for a time, fulfills a purpose, and then passes on. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adalbert-stifter/everything-that-now-exists-no-matter-how-great-and-good-it-is-lasts/) [Adalbert Stifter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adalbert-stifter/) > [“Its funny when people recently change their attitude to gain entrance into your heart, which may only ignite your passion to close the door.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/its-funny-when-people-recently-change-their-attitude-to-gain-entrance/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [“No permanence is ours; we are a wave That flows to fit whatever form it finds: Through night or day, cathedral or the cave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/no-permanence-is-ours-we-are-a-wave-that-flows-to-fit-whatever-form/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [“the doctrine of Transience supplies us with an inexhaustible source of hope and comfort, leads us into the living universe, and introduces us to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kaiten-nukariya/the-doctrine-of-transience-supplies-us-with-an-inexhaustible-source/) [Kaiten Nukariya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kaiten-nukariya/) > [The generation of youth in the early 21st century has no way of grasping if they will ever be free from the gnawing sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-giroux/the-generation-of-youth-in-the-early-21st-century-has-no-way-of/) [Henry Giroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-giroux/) > [“It can't last forever. Others have thought such things, in bad times before this, and they were always right, they did get out one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/it-can-t-last-forever-others-have-thought-such-things-in-bad-times/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [Who dreamed that beauty passes like a dream? For these red lips, with all their mournful pride, Mournful that no new wonder may betide,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/who-dreamed-that-beauty-passes-like-a-dream-for-these-red-lips-with/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [“It is the transience of life which proves its inestimable worth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-b-harrop/it-is-the-transience-of-life-which-proves-its-inestimable-worth/) [D.B. Harrop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-b-harrop/) ## More by Percy Bysshe Shelley > [The everlasting universe of things Flows through the mind, and rolls its rapid waves, Now dark--now glittering--now reflecting gloom-- Now lending splendour, where from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/the-everlasting-universe-of-things-flows-through-the-mind-and-rolls/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [The quick Dreams, The passion-winged Ministers of thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/the-quick-dreams-the-passion-winged-ministers-of-thought/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [Hail to thee, blithe Spirit!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/hail-to-thee-blithe-spirit/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [The jealous keys of truth's eternal doors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/the-jealous-keys-of-truth-s-eternal-doors/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [“Though we eat little flesh and drink no wine, Yet let's be merry; we'll have tea and toast; Custards for supper, and an endless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/though-we-eat-little-flesh-and-drink-no-wine-yet-let-s-be-merry-we-ll/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [A dream has power to poison sleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/a-dream-has-power-to-poison-sleep/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [Titles are tinsel, power a corrupter, glorya bubble, and excessive wealth a libel on its possessor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/titles-are-tinsel-power-a-corrupter-glorya-bubble-and-excessive/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [“I fall upon the thorns of life! I bleed !”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/i-fall-upon-the-thorns-of-life-i-bleed/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [“Poets and philosophers are the unacknowledged legislators of the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/poets-and-philosophers-are-the-unacknowledged-legislators-of-the-world/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [Dar'st thou amid the varied multitude To live alone, an isolated thing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/dar-st-thou-amid-the-varied-multitude-to-live-alone-an-isolated-thing/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [Spirit of BEAUTY, that dost consecrate With thine own hues all thou dost shine upon Of human thought or form, where art thou gone?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/spirit-of-beauty-that-dost-consecrate-with-thine-own-hues-all-thou/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [I love tranquil solitude, And such society As is quiet, wise, and good; Between thee and me What difference? but thou dost possess The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/i-love-tranquil-solitude-and-such-society-as-is-quiet-wise-and-good/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [The practice of utter sincerity towards other men would avail to no good end, if they were incapable of practising it towards their own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/the-practice-of-utter-sincerity-towards-other-men-would-avail-to-no/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [Thou shoreless flood, which in thy ebb and flow claspest the limits of mortality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/thou-shoreless-flood-which-in-thy-ebb-and-flow-claspest-the-limits-of/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [Senseless is the breast and cold Which relenting love would fold; Bloodless are the veins and chill Which the pulse of pain did fill;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/senseless-is-the-breast-and-cold-which-relenting-love-would-fold/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) [Explore all 533 Percy Bysshe Shelley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) ## More Bubbles quotes > [Medicine is magical and magical is art, the boy in the bubble, and the baby with the baboon heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/medicine-is-magical-and-magical-is-art-the-boy-in-the-bubble-and-the/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [What I do, the teacher of the nagual, is open up the bubble of your luminosity and allow the luminous being to take short…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/what-i-do-the-teacher-of-the-nagual-is-open-up-the-bubble-of-your/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [When (the Reds) won, we loved it because we ran into the locker room and touched all the bats and gloves and got some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-griffey-jr-2/when-the-reds-won-we-loved-it-because-we-ran-into-the-locker-room-and/) [Ken Griffey, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-griffey-jr-2/) > [If I had my way, I would build a lethal chamber as big as the Crystal Palace, with a military band playing softly, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-h-lawrence/if-i-had-my-way-i-would-build-a-lethal-chamber-as-big-as-the-crystal/) [D. H. Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-h-lawrence/) > [“Forget your troubles! Try these bubbles! You can’t say nope to extraordinary soap!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-mcree-turner/forget-your-troubles-try-these-bubbles-you-can-t-say-nope-to/) [Amber McRee Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-mcree-turner/) > [In 1985, the top five percent of the households - the wealthiest five percent - had net worth of $8 trillion - which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-stockman/in-1985-the-top-five-percent-of-the-households-the-wealthiest-five/) [David Stockman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-stockman/) > [Oh honey, You're thirteen. You should be blowing bubbles, not guys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author-name/oh-honey-you-re-thirteen-you-should-be-blowing-bubbles-not-guys/) [Author Name](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/author-name/) > [I think we have a bubble in the US in government bonds, because of the quantitative easing and the negative real interest rates, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-thiel/i-think-we-have-a-bubble-in-the-us-in-government-bonds-because-of-the/) [Peter Thiel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-thiel/) > [This tennis world, this tennis community, is very much a bubble, and it's very easy to get lost in here. You know, there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johanna-konta/this-tennis-world-this-tennis-community-is-very-much-a-bubble-and-it/) [Johanna Konta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johanna-konta/) > [We thought we completely understood bubbles when we were kids. But we didn't. Bubbles are these amazing things. It's just that people aren't paying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-noddy/we-thought-we-completely-understood-bubbles-when-we-were-kids-but-we/) [Tom Noddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-noddy/) > [Titles are tinsel, power a corrupter, glorya bubble, and excessive wealth a libel on its possessor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/titles-are-tinsel-power-a-corrupter-glorya-bubble-and-excessive/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [I don't even know what that means. People who get credit have to get it from somewhere. Does a credit bubble mean that people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-fama/i-don-t-even-know-what-that-means-people-who-get-credit-have-to-get/) [Eugene Fama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-fama/) > [And people who do not know the Lord ask why in the world we waste our lives as missionaries. They forget that they too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-saint/and-people-who-do-not-know-the-lord-ask-why-in-the-world-we-waste-our/) [Nate Saint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-saint/) > [Where the wave of moonlight glosses The dim gray sands with light, Far off by furthest Rosses We foot it all the night, Weaving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/where-the-wave-of-moonlight-glosses-the-dim-gray-sands-with-light-far/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [“That’s my darling little doggie. Bubbles by name, bubbles for brains. You’ve got to love him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-l-merrow/that-s-my-darling-little-doggie-bubbles-by-name-bubbles-for-brains/) [J.L. Merrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-l-merrow/) [Browse all 821 Bubbles quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bubbles/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Worlds on worlds are rolling ever From creation to decay, Like the bubbles on a river Sparkling, bursting, borne away.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Percy Bysshe Shelley" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/worlds-on-worlds-are-rolling-ever-from-creation-to-decay-like-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bubbles" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/worlds-on-worlds-are-rolling-ever-from-creation-to-decay-like-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/990/percy-bysshe-shelley-476_bubbles_worlds-on-worlds-are-rolling-ever-from-c_1800731.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/990/percy-bysshe-shelley-476_bubbles_worlds-on-worlds-are-rolling-ever-from-c_1800731.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/990/percy-bysshe-shelley-476_bubbles_worlds-on-worlds-are-rolling-ever-from-c_1800731.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Worlds on worlds are rolling ever From creation to decay, Like the bubbles on a river Sparkling, bursting…” — Percy Bysshe Shelley", "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": "Percy Bysshe Shelley", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Worlds on worlds are rolling ever...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/worlds-on-worlds-are-rolling-ever-from-creation-to-decay-like-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/worlds-on-worlds-are-rolling-ever-from-creation-to-decay-like-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 } } ] } ```