Skip to content

Baby Quote by Sylvia Plath

“I do not want a plain box, I want a sarcophagus With tigery stripes, and a face on it Round as the moon, to stare up. I want to be looking at them when they come Picking among the dumb minerals, the roots. I see them already-the pale, star-distance faces. Now they are nothing, they are not even…” quote by Sylvia Plath
Download Open image
“I do not want a plain box, I want a sarcophagus With tigery stripes, and a face on it Round as the moon, to stare up. I want to be looking at them when they come Picking among the dumb minerals, the roots. I see them already-the pale, star-distance faces. Now they are nothing, they are not even babies. I imagine them without fathers or mothers, like the first gods. They will wonder if I was important.”

Sylvia Plath

About This Quote

Source Poem: “The Moon” (unpublished), 1965

The speaker imagines alien beings, reflecting on insignificance and longing for recognition.

In simple terms: Imagining distant beings reveals personal yearning.

Key Takeaway

Embrace humility and wonder.

Themes

existence loneliness creativity

Mood

melancholic contemplative

Type

poetic philosophical

When to use this quote

  • artistic creation
  • personal reflection
  • science fiction writing

Key Concepts

existentialism imagination identity

Questions to Reflect On

  • What does the “sarcastic sarcophagus” symbolize?
  • How does longing shape your self‑view?
A Different Perspective

The abstract imagery may obscure clear meaning for some readers.

4.6 out of 5 (10 ratings)

More by Sylvia Plath

Explore all 1,098 Sylvia Plath quotes

More Baby quotes

Browse all 5,822 Baby quotes