Animals Quote by Philip Appleman
““Darwin's Ark The fact is, I know those ancestors floating through my sleep: an animal that breathed water, had a great swimming tail, an imperfect skull, undoubtedly hermaphrodite . . . I slide through all the oceans with these kin, salt water pulsing in my veins, and aeons follow me into the trees: a hairy, tailed quadruped, arboreal in its habits, scales slipping off my flanks . . . . I have sailed the ancients seas to come to the bones of Megatherium. . . . The thing I want to father most is the rarest, most difficult thing of all. Though knee-deep in these rivers of innocent blood, I want to be - a decent animal.””
About This Quote
Source Poem: “Darwin’s Ark”, 1990
The poet envisions an ancestral connection to ancient, hybrid creatures, yearning for a profound, perhaps unattainable, creation.
In simple terms: He feels linked to ancient, mixed‑species ancestors.
Key Takeaway
Embrace your deep evolutionary roots.
Themes
identity
evolution
creativity
Mood
melancholic
contemplative
Type
poetic
philosophical
When to use this quote
- personal reflection
- artistic inspiration
- genealogy research
Key Concepts
mythology
biology
Questions to Reflect On
- What does “the rarest thing” represent for you?
- How do ancestral memories shape your identity?
A Different Perspective
The desire for a “rare” creation may be unrealistic.
