--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Time. In another time. Either before or…" description: "\"“Time. In another time. Either before or after. They were not stars, but fires. They were the souls of birds. They were entries into the vast fire. The..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/36f/peter-ackroyd-2223_another-time_time-in-another-time-either-before-or-af_349598.jpg" --- # Time. In another time. Either before or after. They were… ![“Time. In another time. Either before or after. They were not stars, but fires. They were the souls of birds. They were entries into the vast fire. They were the eyes of the dead. And in the darkness they were imprisoned by them.” quote by Peter Ackroyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/36f/peter-ackroyd-2223_another-time_time-in-another-time-either-before-or-af_349598.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/36f/peter-ackroyd-2223_another-time_time-in-another-time-either-before-or-af_349598.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/36f/peter-ackroyd-2223_another-time_time-in-another-time-either-before-or-af_349598.jpg) > ““Time. In another time. Either before or after. They were not stars, but fires. They were the souls of birds. They were entries into the vast fire. They were the eyes of the dead. And in the darkness they were imprisoned by them.”” [Peter Ackroyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-ackroyd/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage describes a realm where souls are transformed into luminous entities, observed by the dead, suggesting a haunting, timeless connection between life and death. **In simple terms:** Souls become light, observed by the dead. Key Takeaway Recognize the lingering presence of past lives. Themes death memory transcendence Mood somber contemplative Type poetic reflective When to use this quote - grief counseling - historical research - spiritual meditation Key Concepts soul light eternity Questions to Reflect On - How does remembering the dead affect our present? - What does light symbolize in mourning? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Another time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/another-time/) [Astronomy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/astronomy/) [Birds Entries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/birds-entries-3231807/) [Darkness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/darkness/) [Darkness Imprisoned](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/darkness-imprisoned-3231805/) [Souls Birds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/souls-birds-3231806/) [Stars Fires](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stars-fires-899637/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Time Stars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time-stars-344161/) ## Related quotes > [“In my mind's eye I can still see the first night flight I made in Argentina. 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I was in Washington, D.C. at another time reading in a paper where the U.S. gives Byron…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-lou-hamer/you-know-what-really-made-me-sick-i-was-in-washington-d-c-at-another/) [Fannie Lou Hamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-lou-hamer/) > [A very small percentage of the people in this world will actually experience and live today. So many people will be stuck on another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/a-very-small-percentage-of-the-people-in-this-world-will-actually/) [Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/) ## More by Peter Ackroyd > [If I did only one thing at a time I'd think I was wasting my time. 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