--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But what father ever really believes it?…" description: "\"“But what father ever really believes it? He carries no burden, he feels no pain. What man, like woman, lies down in darkness and gets up with child? T..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/280/ray-bradbury-75_live-forever_but-what-father-ever-really-believes-it_1693254.jpg" --- # But what father ever really believes it? He carries no… ![“But what father ever really believes it? He carries no burden, he feels no pain. What man, like woman, lies down in darkness and gets up with child? The gentle, smiling ones own the good secret. Oh, what strange wonderful clocks women are. They nest in Time. They make the flesh that holds fast and…” quote by Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/280/ray-bradbury-75_live-forever_but-what-father-ever-really-believes-it_1693254.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/280/ray-bradbury-75_live-forever_but-what-father-ever-really-believes-it_1693254.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/280/ray-bradbury-75_live-forever_but-what-father-ever-really-believes-it_1693254.jpg) > ““But what father ever really believes it? He carries no burden, he feels no pain. What man, like woman, lies down in darkness and gets up with child? The gentle, smiling ones own the good secret. Oh, what strange wonderful clocks women are. They nest in Time. They make the flesh that holds fast and binds eternity. They live inside the gift, know power, accept, and need not mention it. Why speak of Time when you are Time, and shape the universal moments, as they pass, into warmth and action? How men envy and often hate these warm clocks, these wives, who know they will live forever. So what do we do? We men turn terribly mean, because we can’t hold to the world or ourselves or anything. We are blind to continuity, all breaks down, falls, melts, stops, rots, or runs away. So, since we cannot shape Time, where does that leave men? Sleepless. Staring.”” [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) ## 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 reflects on women's timeless role as creators and sustainers of life, contrasting it with men's fear of mortality and tendency toward cruelty. **In simple terms:** Women nurture life and time; men fear it and become harsh. Key Takeaway Recognize and honor the enduring, nurturing power of women. Themes gender time creation mortality power envy Mood reflective somber thoughtful Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - family dynamics - relationship counseling - gender studies - philosophical discussion Key Concepts feminine archetype existential reflection life cycles Questions to Reflect On - How can men embrace continuity without losing identity? - What practices foster mutual respect between genders? A Different Perspective Men's cruelty stems from fear of impermanence and lack of continuity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Live forever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live-forever/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) ## Related quotes > [“Oh, what strange wonderful clocks women are. They nest in Time. They make the flesh that holds fast and binds eternity. They live inside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/oh-what-strange-wonderful-clocks-women-are-they-nest-in-time-they-2/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [How men envy and often hate these warm clocks, these wives, who know they will live forever. So what do we do? We men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/how-men-envy-and-often-hate-these-warm-clocks-these-wives-who-know/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“He carries no burden, he feels no pain. What man, like woman, lies down in the darkness and gets up with child? The gentle,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/he-carries-no-burden-he-feels-no-pain-what-man-like-woman-lies-down/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [Oh, what strange wonderful clocks women are. They nest in Time. They make the flesh that holds fast and binds eternity. They live inside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/oh-what-strange-wonderful-clocks-women-are-they-nest-in-time-they/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [The years go by. The time, it does fly. Every single second is a moment in time that passes. And it seems like nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/the-years-go-by-the-time-it-does-fly-every-single-second-is-a-moment/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [Please, please, help me grow to be like them, the ones'll soon be here, who never grow old, can't die, that's what they say,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/please-please-help-me-grow-to-be-like-them-the-ones-ll-soon-be-here/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [This is the emotional thing, you see - you must galvanize people, so they want to be completely alive and live forever, or the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/this-is-the-emotional-thing-you-see-you-must-galvanize-people-so-they/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“Throughout his life, Bradbury liked to recount the story of meeting a carnival magician, Mr. Electrico, in 1932. At the end of his performance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/throughout-his-life-bradbury-liked-to-recount-the-story-of-meeting-a/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [When you reach the stars, boy, yes, and live there forever, all the fears will go, and Death himself will die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/when-you-reach-the-stars-boy-yes-and-live-there-forever-all-the-fears/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [It's hard to believe. Where does the times go?' Betty sighs. 'I've always hated that phrase. It makes it would like time went on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/it-s-hard-to-believe-where-does-the-times-go-betty-sighs-i-ve-always/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [Time does not exist - we invented it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/time-does-not-exist-we-invented-it/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [“But one day leads to another, and so on. No way around it. It's that merciless thing that time does.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-frazier/but-one-day-leads-to-another-and-so-on-no-way-around-it-it-s-that/) [Charles Frazier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-frazier/) > [If we pay no attention to it, time does not exist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mircea-eliade/if-we-pay-no-attention-to-it-time-does-not-exist/) [Mircea Eliade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mircea-eliade/) > [“But upon my word, I don't know how we put in our time. How does one put in one's time? How is it possible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ford-madox-ford/but-upon-my-word-i-don-t-know-how-we-put-in-our-time-how-does-one-put/) [Ford Madox Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ford-madox-ford/) > [Time does not, and shall never, equal experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alistair-harding/time-does-not-and-shall-never-equal-experience/) Alistair Harding ## More by Ray Bradbury > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [You feed yourself. Make sure you have all the information, whether it's aesthetic, scientific, mathematical, I don't care what it is. Then you walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/you-feed-yourself-make-sure-you-have-all-the-information-whether-it-s/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [Do you ever read any of the books you burn?" He laughed. "That's against the law!" "Oh. Of course.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/do-you-ever-read-any-of-the-books-you-burn-he-laughed-that-s-against/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [There's no reason to burn books if you don't read them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/there-s-no-reason-to-burn-books-if-you-don-t-read-them/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [We were put here as witnesses to the miracle of life. We see the stars, and we want them. We are beholden to give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/we-were-put-here-as-witnesses-to-the-miracle-of-life-we-see-the-stars/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [Remember, with writing, what you’re looking for is just one person to come up and tell you, 'I love you for what you do.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/remember-with-writing-what-you-re-looking-for-is-just-one-person-to/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [As a result of reading science fiction when I was eight, I grew up with an interest in music, architecture, city planning, transportation, politics,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/as-a-result-of-reading-science-fiction-when-i-was-eight-i-grew-up/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“You can’t learn to write in college. It’s a very bad place for writers because the teachers always think they know more than you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/you-can-t-learn-to-write-in-college-it-s-a-very-bad-place-for-writers/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [We're going to become the martians when we land there. When we explore and build communities, we become the martians. That's a wonderful destiny…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/we-re-going-to-become-the-martians-when-we-land-there-when-we-explore/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [I wish you a wrestling match with your Creative Muse that will last a lifetime. ... I wish craziness and foolishness and madness upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/i-wish-you-a-wrestling-match-with-your-creative-muse-that-will-last-a/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [The library is the biggest cracker box factory in the world. The more you eat, the more you want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/the-library-is-the-biggest-cracker-box-factory-in-the-world-the-more/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [We travel for romance, we travel for architecture, and we travel to be lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/we-travel-for-romance-we-travel-for-architecture-and-we-travel-to-be/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [I spent three days a week for 10 years educating myself in the public library, and it's better than college. People should educate themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/i-spent-three-days-a-week-for-10-years-educating-myself-in-the-public/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [If we try to deny the darkness in our souls then we'll become completely dark.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/if-we-try-to-deny-the-darkness-in-our-souls-then-we-ll-become/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [But remember that the Captain belongs to the most dangerous enemy to truth and freedom, the solid unmoving cattle of the majority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/but-remember-that-the-captain-belongs-to-the-most-dangerous-enemy-to/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) [Explore all 1,520 Ray Bradbury quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) ## More Clocks quotes > [“You shouldn't be in here!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-winters/you-shouldn-t-be-in-here/) Evelyn Winters > [“Do days exist without calendars? Does time pass when there are no human hands left to wind the clocks?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-koch/do-days-exist-without-calendars-does-time-pass-when-there-are-no/) Howard Koch > [I got these hataz like when he gon stop? maybe a minute after never start ya clocks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-wayne/i-got-these-hataz-like-when-he-gon-stop-maybe-a-minute-after-never/) [Lil Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-wayne/) > [“Death Laughs In The Faces Of Clocks”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-cavanagh/death-laughs-in-the-faces-of-clocks/) [Dean Cavanagh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-cavanagh/) > [Sleeping is my drug, my bed is the dealer, and my alarm clock is the police..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitchell-sakundiak/sleeping-is-my-drug-my-bed-is-the-dealer-and-my-alarm-clock-is-the/) [Mitchell Sakundiak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitchell-sakundiak/) > [“Tip #2: No more alarm clocks”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-helen-conroy/tip-2-no-more-alarm-clocks/) Mary Helen Conroy > [In this world, there are two times. There is mechanical time and there is body time." "They do not keep clocks in their houses.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/in-this-world-there-are-two-times-there-is-mechanical-time-and-there/) [Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/) > [The steward, according to custom, had stopped all the clocks. This, in the language of Narouz, said "Your stay with us is so brief,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-durrell/the-steward-according-to-custom-had-stopped-all-the-clocks-this-in/) [Lawrence Durrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-durrell/) > [Today's shitty attitude by me is proudly sponsored by my alarm clock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/today-s-shitty-attitude-by-me-is-proudly-sponsored-by-my-alarm-clock/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Laws and institutions, like clocks, must occasionally be cleaned, wound up, and set to true time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/laws-and-institutions-like-clocks-must-occasionally-be-cleaned-wound/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [You were always my girl but you're wasting time on him. I wish I could turn back the clocks to when you still had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-were-always-my-girl-but-you-re-wasting-time-on-him-i-wish-i-could/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Remember when there would be people wearing giant clocks as necklaces and everyone thought that was cool? I miss those days.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/remember-when-there-would-be-people-wearing-giant-clocks-as-necklaces/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Making books is a skilled trade, like making clocks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/making-books-is-a-skilled-trade-like-making-clocks/) [Jean De La Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [I never wore a watch. I always depend on public clocks, and stores have clocks, but that is strange.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-katchor/i-never-wore-a-watch-i-always-depend-on-public-clocks-and-stores-have/) [Ben Katchor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-katchor/) > [“Time can play all sorts of tricks on you. In the blink of an eye, babies appear in carriages, coffins disappear into the ground,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-selznick/time-can-play-all-sorts-of-tricks-on-you-in-the-blink-of-an-eye/) [Brian Selznick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-selznick/) Browse all 137 Clocks quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“But what father ever really believes it? He carries no burden, he feels no pain. What man, like woman, lies down in darkness and gets up with child? The gentle, smiling ones own the good secret. Oh, what strange wonderful clocks women are. They nest in Time. They make the flesh that holds fast and binds eternity. They live inside the gift, know power, accept, and need not mention it. Why speak of Time when you are Time, and shape the universal moments, as they pass, into warmth and action? How men envy and often hate these warm clocks, these wives, who know they will live forever. So what do we do? We men turn terribly mean, because we can’t hold to the world or ourselves or anything. We are blind to continuity, all breaks down, falls, melts, stops, rots, or runs away. So, since we cannot shape Time, where does that leave men? Sleepless. Staring.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ray Bradbury" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/but-what-father-ever-really-believes-it-he-carries-no-burden-he-feels/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Clocks" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/but-what-father-ever-really-believes-it-he-carries-no-burden-he-feels/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/280/ray-bradbury-75_live-forever_but-what-father-ever-really-believes-it_1693254.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/280/ray-bradbury-75_live-forever_but-what-father-ever-really-believes-it_1693254.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/280/ray-bradbury-75_live-forever_but-what-father-ever-really-believes-it_1693254.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“But what father ever really believes it? He carries no burden, he feels no pain. What man, like woman, lies…” — Ray Bradbury", "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": "Ray Bradbury", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“But what father ever really believes...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/but-what-father-ever-really-believes-it-he-carries-no-burden-he-feels/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/but-what-father-ever-really-believes-it-he-carries-no-burden-he-feels/#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 } } ] } ```