Bed Quote by Robert Graves
“Through the window I can see Rooks above the cherry-tree, Sparrows in the violet bed, Bramble-bush and bumble-bee, And old red bracken smoulders still Among boulders on the hill, Far too bright to seem quite dead. But old Death, who can't forget, Waits his time and watches yet, Waits and watches by the door.”
About This Quote
Source Poem: The White Goddess, Robert Graves, 1948
The poem juxtaposes vivid natural life with the looming presence of death, suggesting that even in bright, living scenes, mortality watches patiently.
In simple terms: Nature thrives while death waits.
Key Takeaway
Notice life's beauty despite mortality.
Themes
nature
mortality
observation
contrast
Mood
reflective
melancholic
contemplative
Type
literary
poetic
descriptive
When to use this quote
- walking in nature
- gardening
- contemplating art
- writing
- photography
Key Concepts
existentialism
symbolism
poetry
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you balance appreciation of life with awareness of death?
- What does the “door” symbolize?
A Different Perspective
The poem may romanticize death, overlooking its harsh realities.
![“Leave a cavity behind the [wall] facings, and on the inside build walls two feet thick, made of red dimension stone or burnt brick or lava in courses, and then bind them to the fronts by means of iron clamps and lead. The beds and builds, all settling equally and bonded at the joints, will not let…” quote by Marcus Vitruvius Pollio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d76/marcus-vitruvius-pollio-7498_bed_leave-a-cavity-behind-the-wall-facings-a_5922.jpg)
