--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Maybe we can use a metaphor for it, out…" description: "\"Maybe we can use a metaphor for it, out of dance. I think for many years I was aware of the need, in dance and in life, to breathe deeply and to take i..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e2/sharon-olds-8682_air_maybe-we-can-use-a-metaphor-for-it-out-o_293206.jpg" --- # Maybe we can use a metaphor for it, out of dance. I think… ![“Maybe we can use a metaphor for it, out of dance. I think for many years I was aware of the need, in dance and in life, to breathe deeply and to take in more air than we usually take in.” quote by Sharon Olds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e2/sharon-olds-8682_air_maybe-we-can-use-a-metaphor-for-it-out-o_293206.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e2/sharon-olds-8682_air_maybe-we-can-use-a-metaphor-for-it-out-o_293206.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4e2/sharon-olds-8682_air_maybe-we-can-use-a-metaphor-for-it-out-o_293206.jpg) > “Maybe we can use a metaphor for it, out of dance. I think for many years I was aware of the need, in dance and in life, to breathe deeply and to take in more air than we usually take in.” [Sharon Olds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-olds/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The poet likens breathing deeply in dance to living fully, urging us to take in more experience than we normally allow. **In simple terms:** Deep breaths in dance mirror a full life. Key Takeaway Breathe deeply, live fully. Themes mindfulness creativity embodiment growth Mood calm inspired Type poetic motivational When to use this quote - dance practice - stress relief - public speaking Key Concepts physiology metaphor artistic expression Questions to Reflect On - How does breath affect creativity? - Can you apply this metaphor daily? A Different Perspective Breathing techniques may not solve deeper issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dance/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Metaphor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/metaphor/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [I remember periods where we didn't even have beats in our club sets, but people kept dancing. The beat wasn't even necessary, because it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-koner/i-remember-periods-where-we-didn-t-even-have-beats-in-our-club-sets/) [Thomas Koner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-koner/) > [“Breathe deeply and remember to love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-stabile/breathe-deeply-and-remember-to-love/) [Scott Stabile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-stabile/) > [Teach me, 0 God, not to torture myself, not to make a martyr out of myself through stifling reflection, but rather teach me to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/teach-me-0-god-not-to-torture-myself-not-to-make-a-martyr-out-of/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [“Live. And Live Well. BREATHE. Breathe in and Breathe deeply. Be PRESENT. Do not be past. Do not be future. Be now. On a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-lake/live-and-live-well-breathe-breathe-in-and-breathe-deeply-be-present/) [Kyle Lake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-lake/) > [Burn your computer. Blow up your TV. Bludgeon your cell phone. Breathe deeply. This, my friends, is the secret to inner-peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-vaszily/burn-your-computer-blow-up-your-tv-bludgeon-your-cell-phone-breathe/) Brian Vaszily > [A person who doesn't breathe deeply reduces the life of his body. If he doesn't move freely, he restricts the life of his body.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-lowen/a-person-who-doesn-t-breathe-deeply-reduces-the-life-of-his-body-if/) [Alexander Lowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-lowen/) > [Move to your heart, Breathe. Close your eyes and breathe deeply - slowly - fill your lungs with love and gratitude - exhale each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark/move-to-your-heart-breathe-close-your-eyes-and-breathe-deeply-slowly/) [Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark/) > [Try to learn to breathe deeply, really to taste food when you eat, and when you sleep, really to sleep. Try as much as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/try-to-learn-to-breathe-deeply-really-to-taste-food-when-you-eat-and/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [We need musicians! We need them healthy - we need to dance and we need to escape - and none of that is possible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/finn-wolfhard/we-need-musicians-we-need-them-healthy-we-need-to-dance-and-we-need/) [Finn Wolfhard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/finn-wolfhard/) > [People want to dance, and they need something to dance to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-bailey/people-want-to-dance-and-they-need-something-to-dance-to/) [Philip Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-bailey/) > [I will be there when you need someone to run with. I will be there when you need someone to dance with. I'm your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tarrus-riley/i-will-be-there-when-you-need-someone-to-run-with-i-will-be-there/) [Tarrus Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tarrus-riley/) > [In my head, I believed even though I am an actor, there was no need to dance. That's not me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nawazuddin-siddiqui/in-my-head-i-believed-even-though-i-am-an-actor-there-was-no-need-to/) [Nawazuddin Siddiqui](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nawazuddin-siddiqui/) > [If I could explain, I wouldn't need to dance!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isadora-duncan/if-i-could-explain-i-wouldn-t-need-to-dance/) [Isadora Duncan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isadora-duncan/) > [Got ants in my pants and I need to dance, so big fine mama, come give me a chance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-brown/got-ants-in-my-pants-and-i-need-to-dance-so-big-fine-mama-come-give/) [James Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-brown/) > [“Our hearts and imaginations need to dance and play if we are to live awake”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaeda-dewalt/our-hearts-and-imaginations-need-to-dance-and-play-if-we-are-to-live/) [Jaeda DeWalt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaeda-dewalt/) ## More by Sharon Olds > [Poems come from ordinary experiences and objects, I think. Out of memory - a dress I lent my daughter on her way back to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-olds/poems-come-from-ordinary-experiences-and-objects-i-think-out-of/) [Sharon Olds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-olds/) > [There are some fine books and essays about that. Lewis Hyde has written about alcoholism and poets and the role that society gives its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-olds/there-are-some-fine-books-and-essays-about-that-lewis-hyde-has/) [Sharon Olds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-olds/) > [I'm not asking a poem to carry a lot of rocks in its pockets. Just being an ordinary observer and liver and feeler and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-olds/i-m-not-asking-a-poem-to-carry-a-lot-of-rocks-in-its-pockets-just/) [Sharon Olds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-olds/) > [“How do they do it, the ones who make love without love? How do they come to the come to the come to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-olds/how-do-they-do-it-the-ones-who-make-love-without-love-how-do-they/) [Sharon Olds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-olds/) > [She'd crack A joke sharp as a tin lid Hot from the teeth of the can-opener, And cackle her crack-corn laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-olds/she-d-crack-a-joke-sharp-as-a-tin-lid-hot-from-the-teeth-of-the-can/) [Sharon Olds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-olds/) > [If I wrote in a sonnet form, I would be distorting. Or if I had some great new idea for line breaks and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-olds/if-i-wrote-in-a-sonnet-form-i-would-be-distorting-or-if-i-had-some/) [Sharon Olds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-olds/) > [Many poets write books. They'll tell you: Well, I've got my next book, but there are two poems I need to write, one about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-olds/many-poets-write-books-they-ll-tell-you-well-i-ve-got-my-next-book/) [Sharon Olds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-olds/) > [“as if languagelessness was a step up, in evolution, from the chatter of consciousness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-olds/as-if-languagelessness-was-a-step-up-in-evolution-from-the-chatter-of/) [Sharon Olds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-olds/) > [Who wants to put together something that will bear some relationship to the vision or memory or experience or story or idea or dream…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-olds/who-wants-to-put-together-something-that-will-bear-some-relationship/) [Sharon Olds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-olds/) > [“I put my arms around a trunk and squeezed it, then I lay down on my father's grave.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-olds/i-put-my-arms-around-a-trunk-and-squeezed-it-then-i-lay-down-on-my/) [Sharon Olds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-olds/) > [“...the liquor like fire in his hand”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-olds/the-liquor-like-fire-in-his-hand/) [Sharon Olds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-olds/) > [I'm probably so out of it at my age that I don't know what people think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-olds/i-m-probably-so-out-of-it-at-my-age-that-i-don-t-know-what-people/) [Sharon Olds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-olds/) > [“Some people think I should be over my ex by now — maybe I thought I might have been over him more by now.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-olds/some-people-think-i-should-be-over-my-ex-by-now-maybe-i-thought-i/) [Sharon Olds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-olds/) > [Maybe in order to understand sex fully/one has to risk being destroyed by it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-olds/maybe-in-order-to-understand-sex-fully-one-has-to-risk-being/) [Sharon Olds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-olds/) > [“I've said that he and I had been crazy for each other. But maybe my ex and I were not crazy for each other.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-olds/i-ve-said-that-he-and-i-had-been-crazy-for-each-other-but-maybe-my-ex/) [Sharon Olds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-olds/) [Explore all 78 Sharon Olds quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-olds/) ## More Air quotes > [I will be a tireless advocate for our District's defense priorities including Sheppard Air Force Base, Pantex, Bell Helicopter, universities conducting important research, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronny-jackson/i-will-be-a-tireless-advocate-for-our-district-s-defense-priorities/) [Ronny Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronny-jackson/) > [I have lifted my plane . . . for perhaps a thousand flights and I have never felt her wheels glide from the Earth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beryl-markham/i-have-lifted-my-plane-for-perhaps-a-thousand-flights-and-i-have/) [Beryl Markham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beryl-markham/) > [If U.S. air, naval, missile, and ground forces were not in and around Korea, and if we were not treaty-bound to fight alongside South…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buchanan/if-u-s-air-naval-missile-and-ground-forces-were-not-in-and-around/) [Pat Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buchanan/) > [The cooler days have brought a wistful mood upon him. 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But is it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/it-is-sometimes-said-that-scientists-are-unromantic-that-their/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [ Just between you and me, shouldn’t the World Bank be encouraging MORE migration of the dirty industries to the LDCs \[Less Developed Countries\]?... I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-summers/just-between-you-and-me-shouldn-t-the-world-bank-be-encouraging-more/) [Lawrence Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-summers/) > [After a few mouthfuls of moon-flavored air, even the stubbornly drowsy can find themselves wide-eyed.. All the normal noises of life were gone, leaving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-d-wilson/after-a-few-mouthfuls-of-moon-flavored-air-even-the-stubbornly-drowsy/) [N.D. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-d-wilson/) > [There was a little nook on Air Force Two that contained the vice presidential seal, and I would sort of wedge myself in there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-biden/there-was-a-little-nook-on-air-force-two-that-contained-the-vice/) [Jill Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-biden/) > [Words are substance strange. Speak one and the air ripples into another's ears. Write one and the eye laps it up. But the sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-beachy-quick/words-are-substance-strange-speak-one-and-the-air-ripples-into/) [Dan Beachy-Quick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-beachy-quick/) > [ \[A\]s you partake of the world's bill of fare, that's darned good advice to follow. 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