Bitter Quote by Stephen Spender
“All the lessons learned, unlearned; The young, who learned to read, now blind, Their eyes with an archaic film; The peasant relapses to a stumbling tune, Following the donkey's bray; These only remember to forget. But somewhere some word presses, On the high door of a skull and in some corner, Of an irrefrangible eye, Some old man memory jumps to a child - Spark from the days of energy. And the child hoards it like a bitter toy.”
About This Quote
Source Poem: Untitled, 1930s
The poem reflects on lost knowledge, fading memory, and the cyclical nature of forgetting and remembering across generations.
In simple terms: Memory fades, yet some truths persist.
Key Takeaway
Preserve and share wisdom.
Themes
memory
history
generations
art
Mood
nostalgic
melancholic
Type
literary
poetic
When to use this quote
- education
- family storytelling
- archival work
Key Concepts
collective memory
cultural transmission
Questions to Reflect On
- What personal histories do you cherish?
- How can we keep forgotten lessons alive?
A Different Perspective
Artistic language can obscure concrete meaning.
