--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The only thing left to her keeping were a…" description: "\"“The only thing left to her keeping were a bloody old rag and a creased photograph of the ocean which she held pressed to the hollow of her slender thr..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/174/robert-gatewood-69787_heart_the-only-thing-left-to-her-keeping-were_642801.jpg" --- # The only thing left to her keeping were a bloody old rag… ![“The only thing left to her keeping were a bloody old rag and a creased photograph of the ocean which she held pressed to the hollow of her slender throat and had thrashed for and bit hands to protect like a madwoman risen from sleep to in her unformed state between wake and dream reproach the…” quote by Robert Gatewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/174/robert-gatewood-69787_heart_the-only-thing-left-to-her-keeping-were_642801.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/174/robert-gatewood-69787_heart_the-only-thing-left-to-her-keeping-were_642801.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/174/robert-gatewood-69787_heart_the-only-thing-left-to-her-keeping-were_642801.jpg) > ““The only thing left to her keeping were a bloody old rag and a creased photograph of the ocean which she held pressed to the hollow of her slender throat and had thrashed for and bit hands to protect like a madwoman risen from sleep to in her unformed state between wake and dream reproach the world tenfold.”” [Robert Gatewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-gatewood/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A woman clings to a rag and photo, desperate to protect herself from a chaotic, dream‑like reality. **In simple terms:** She holds onto fragile comforts amid turmoil. Key Takeaway Seek stability in small, meaningful objects. Themes desperation identity survival Mood poetic introspective Type literary emotive When to use this quote - personal crisis - grief - nightmares Key Concepts psychological trauma memory symbolism Questions to Reflect On - What does the rag symbolize? - How do we protect ourselves from inner chaos? A Different Perspective The imagery may romanticize suffering. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Ocean Held](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ocean-held-869009/) [Rag Creased](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rag-creased-5156602/) [Thing Left](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing-left-512407/) [Thrashed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thrashed-509755/) [Throat Thrashed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/throat-thrashed-5156601/) ## Related quotes > [“I’ve always believed the ocean held more for me than the island.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-said/i-ve-always-believed-the-ocean-held-more-for-me-than-the-island/) [Kelly Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-said/) > [“Inside the car Colin was getting thrashed about. Colin was crying out in pain as he could feel his bones breaking deep within his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-eglinger/inside-the-car-colin-was-getting-thrashed-about-colin-was-crying-out/) [Nicole Eglinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-eglinger/) > [“He covered her face with a pillow and lay on it. She got half a breath before he crushed her, and she thrashed like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-price/he-covered-her-face-with-a-pillow-and-lay-on-it-she-got-half-a-breath/) [Charlie Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-price/) > [“He thrashed like a freshly caught fish as the sucking sounds of draining water gurgled from the pooling blood in his mouth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michiko-katsu/he-thrashed-like-a-freshly-caught-fish-as-the-sucking-sounds-of/) [Michiko Katsu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michiko-katsu/) > [When a man makes up his mind to thrash another, he must also make up his mind to be a little thrashed himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/king-james-i/when-a-man-makes-up-his-mind-to-thrash-another-he-must-also-make-up/) [King James I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/king-james-i/) > [“He Who Would Live Forever had done an instantaneous back-of-the-envelope calculation and decided that the vicinity of the Chevrolet Suburban was a better strategic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-wolfe/he-who-would-live-forever-had-done-an-instantaneous-back-of-the/) [Tom Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-wolfe/) > [“Have you seen a dog lick the hand that thrashed it?!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-mayakovsky/have-you-seen-a-dog-lick-the-hand-that-thrashed-it/) [Vladimir Mayakovsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-mayakovsky/) > [A lot of these guys come up and say, 'Man, you were my influence, the way you thrashed the drums.' They don't seem to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/butch-trucks/a-lot-of-these-guys-come-up-and-say-man-you-were-my-influence-the-way/) [Butch Trucks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/butch-trucks/) > [My job is the only thing I have left.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/odo/my-job-is-the-only-thing-i-have-left/) [Odo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/odo/) > [MUSIC is Like the only thing I have left^\_^](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasmine/music-is-like-the-only-thing-i-have-left/) [Jasmine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasmine/) > [Now I no longer wish to be loved, beautiful, happy or successful. I want one thing and one thing only - to be left…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rhys/now-i-no-longer-wish-to-be-loved-beautiful-happy-or-successful-i-want/) [Jean Rhys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rhys/) > [Sometimes the only thing left to do is to face your fears with nothing but a smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-xiong/sometimes-the-only-thing-left-to-do-is-to-face-your-fears-with/) [Peter Xiong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-xiong/) > [There's only one thing left here to say. Love's never too late.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-s-only-one-thing-left-here-to-say-love-s-never-too-late/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Do you know what will be left after you open that box? Even though a lot of disasters came out, because we had to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-you-know-what-will-be-left-after-you-open-that-box-even-though-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Sometimes, the only thing left to do is to let go even if it's the hardest thing to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/sometimes-the-only-thing-left-to-do-is-to-let-go-even-if-it-s-the/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) ## More by Robert Gatewood > [“They watched the elk gallop and mull about like a new texture being laid, and their presence against the mountains in that high sweet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-gatewood/they-watched-the-elk-gallop-and-mull-about-like-a-new-texture-being/) [Robert Gatewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-gatewood/) > [“I think the river be showin a person the way his mind's supposed to work... You ain't never see a river stop and think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-gatewood/i-think-the-river-be-showin-a-person-the-way-his-mind-s-supposed-to/) [Robert Gatewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-gatewood/) > [“Then he turned the pebbles over in his hardened fingers, remembering the only words in the way of wisdom his father had ever given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-gatewood/then-he-turned-the-pebbles-over-in-his-hardened-fingers-remembering/) [Robert Gatewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-gatewood/) [Explore all 4 Robert Gatewood quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-gatewood/) ## More Heart quotes > [Against his own will, almost, Will felt himself understanding; he would have done anything, he thought, told any lie, taken any risk, to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/against-his-own-will-almost-will-felt-himself-understanding-he-would/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [“He held her like a new woman and what she felt felt almost as good as love had, and each of them called it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-dunn/he-held-her-like-a-new-woman-and-what-she-felt-felt-almost-as-good-as/) [Stephen Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-dunn/) > [While we've youth in our hearts, we can never grow old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/while-we-ve-youth-in-our-hearts-we-can-never-grow-old/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/) > [My heart jumps out of its cage to see what the fuss is about. Damn thing. Always so hopeful, but my voice hides it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-wylie/my-heart-jumps-out-of-its-cage-to-see-what-the-fuss-is-about-damn/) [Sarah Wylie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-wylie/) > [I love because there is not enough room in my heart to hate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rena-kornreich-gelissen/i-love-because-there-is-not-enough-room-in-my-heart-to-hate/) [Rena Kornreich Gelissen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rena-kornreich-gelissen/) > [“He didn't break my heart. No one can break your heart except you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/he-didn-t-break-my-heart-no-one-can-break-your-heart-except-you/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [The United States cannot and should not discriminate on the basis of religion. The free exercise of religion is at the very heart of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/the-united-states-cannot-and-should-not-discriminate-on-the-basis-of/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) > [Love is like that, fragile and light. No wonder it rests upon our hearts in intangible moments, bids us follow fleeting thoughts and ideas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-like-that-fragile-and-light-no-wonder-it-rests-upon-our/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When we are capable of living in the moment free from the tyranny of "shoulds," free from the nagging sensation that this moment isn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-z-borysenko/when-we-are-capable-of-living-in-the-moment-free-from-the-tyranny-of/) [Joan Z. Borysenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-z-borysenko/) > [My father longed for a better life for us, and when I was nine he got a job as a heart surgeon in Belfast.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-melua/my-father-longed-for-a-better-life-for-us-and-when-i-was-nine-he-got/) [Katie Melua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-melua/) > [O tiger's heart wrapped in a woman's hide!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/o-tiger-s-heart-wrapped-in-a-woman-s-hide/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Love will fan the flame, and that flame will warm the heart that's waiting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-w-smith/love-will-fan-the-flame-and-that-flame-will-warm-the-heart-that-s/) [Michael W. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-w-smith/) > [Always have the fear of God in your heart, and remember that God is always with you, everywhere, whether you are walking or sitting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennadius-of-constantinople/always-have-the-fear-of-god-in-your-heart-and-remember-that-god-is/) [Gennadius of Constantinople](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennadius-of-constantinople/) > [Set NOT your hearts on the flowers of this world. They shall fade and die. Prize the Rose of Sharon and the Lily of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/set-not-your-hearts-on-the-flowers-of-this-world-they-shall-fade-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“She couldn't break the orbit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-schwab/she-couldn-t-break-the-orbit/) [Victoria Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-schwab/) [Browse all 45,172 Heart quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The only thing left to her keeping were a bloody old rag and a creased photograph of the ocean which she held pressed to the hollow of her slender throat and had thrashed for and bit hands to protect like a madwoman risen from sleep to in her unformed state between wake and dream reproach the world tenfold.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Robert Gatewood" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-gatewood/the-only-thing-left-to-her-keeping-were-a-bloody-old-rag-and-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Heart" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-gatewood/the-only-thing-left-to-her-keeping-were-a-bloody-old-rag-and-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/174/robert-gatewood-69787_heart_the-only-thing-left-to-her-keeping-were_642801.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/174/robert-gatewood-69787_heart_the-only-thing-left-to-her-keeping-were_642801.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/174/robert-gatewood-69787_heart_the-only-thing-left-to-her-keeping-were_642801.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The only thing left to her keeping were a bloody old rag and a creased photograph of the ocean which she…” — Robert Gatewood", "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": "Robert Gatewood", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-gatewood/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“The only thing left to her...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-gatewood/the-only-thing-left-to-her-keeping-were-a-bloody-old-rag-and-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-gatewood/the-only-thing-left-to-her-keeping-were-a-bloody-old-rag-and-a/#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 } } ] } ```