--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: They held hands and knew that only the…" description: "\"They held hands and knew that only the coffin would lie in the earth; the bubbly laughter and the press of fingers in the palm would stay aboveground f..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7fd/toni-morrison-271_butterfly_they-held-hands-and-knew-that-only-the-c_2158835.jpg" --- # They held hands and knew that only the coffin would lie in… ![“They held hands and knew that only the coffin would lie in the earth; the bubbly laughter and the press of fingers in the palm would stay aboveground forever. At first, as they stood there, their hands were clenched together. They relaxed slowly until during the walk back home their fingers were…” quote by Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7fd/toni-morrison-271_butterfly_they-held-hands-and-knew-that-only-the-c_2158835.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7fd/toni-morrison-271_butterfly_they-held-hands-and-knew-that-only-the-c_2158835.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7fd/toni-morrison-271_butterfly_they-held-hands-and-knew-that-only-the-c_2158835.jpg) > “They held hands and knew that only the coffin would lie in the earth; the bubbly laughter and the press of fingers in the palm would stay aboveground forever. At first, as they stood there, their hands were clenched together. They relaxed slowly until during the walk back home their fingers were laced in as gentle a clasp as that of any two young girlfriends trotting up the road on a summer day wondering what happened to butterflies in the winter.” [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Shared intimacy can transcend mortality, turning fleeting moments into lasting emotional bonds that outlive physical decay. **In simple terms:** Love endures beyond death. Key Takeaway Cherish deep connections. Themes love memory mortality connection Mood reflective somber Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - grief counseling - weddings - family reunions - memorial services Key Concepts existentialism humanism relationships Questions to Reflect On - How do you preserve memories of loved ones? - What rituals keep relationships alive after loss? A Different Perspective Physical loss can still cause profound grief. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Butterfly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/butterfly/) [Coffins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coffins/) [Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth/) [Fingers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fingers/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Forever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forever/) [Gentle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gentle/) [Girlfriend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/girlfriend/) [Hands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hands/) [Hands Clenched](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hands-clenched-461469/) [Hands Knew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hands-knew-2389803/) [Held Hands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/held-hands/) [Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home/) [Knew Coffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knew-coffin-4571672/) [Laughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/laughter/) [Lying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lying/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Palms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/palms/) [Relaxed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relaxed/) [Stood Hands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stood-hands-1552714/) [Summer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/summer/) [Summer days](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/summer-days/) [Together](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/together/) [Trotting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trotting/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) [Walks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/walks/) [Winter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/winter/) [Wonder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wonder/) [Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young/) ## Related quotes > [“He had believed it was the way to hold on to the best part of them, believed in that moment of impact, right at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kj-orr/he-had-believed-it-was-the-way-to-hold-on-to-the-best-part-of-them/) [KJ Orr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kj-orr/) > [“An Ax was raised into the smoke filled sky while the surrounding soldiers pinned him down and stood on his hands. It took more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-campbell/an-ax-was-raised-into-the-smoke-filled-sky-while-the-surrounding/) [Greg Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-campbell/) > [“You have such little hands. I knew I should love you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-fry/you-have-such-little-hands-i-knew-i-should-love-you/) [Christopher Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-fry/) > [You almost died.” “But you brought me back.” She cupped his face in her hands. “I always knew you were there. Death didn't have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nalini-singh/you-almost-died-but-you-brought-me-back-she-cupped-his-face-in-her/) [Nalini Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nalini-singh/) > [“Mary’s hands clenched. She’d been through fire, what with a murder, and white supremacists. And what about Caroline, who had gone undercover to rescue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-rowland/mary-s-hands-clenched-she-d-been-through-fire-what-with-a-murder-and/) [Susan Rowland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-rowland/) > [“The air felt thick with the feeling between us, like it was filling the room: a room full of our carnal heat, our hot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-thrust/the-air-felt-thick-with-the-feeling-between-us-like-it-was-filling/) [Fiona Thrust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-thrust/) > [ . . . \[T\]o live not with hands clenched to grasp, to strike, to hold tight to a life that is always slipping away… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/t-o-live-not-with-hands-clenched-to-grasp-to-strike-to-hold-tight-to/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [“Now that child reminds me of something our sages taught. When a baby comes into the world, it's hands are clenched, right? Like this?"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/now-that-child-reminds-me-of-something-our-sages-taught-when-a-baby/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [You can't shake hands with a clenched fist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indira-gandhi/you-can-t-shake-hands-with-a-clenched-fist/) [Indira Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indira-gandhi/) > [“Motherfucker! York was going to punch the shit out of Griffin directly after this session was over. If he so much as laid a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlene-hartnady/motherfucker-york-was-going-to-punch-the-shit-out-of-griffin-directly/) [Charlene Hartnady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlene-hartnady/) > [When a baby comes into the world, its hands are clenched, right? Like this?" He made a fist. "Why? Because a baby not knowing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/when-a-baby-comes-into-the-world-its-hands-are-clenched-right-like/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [under his dripping hair, he was as white as parchment, his hands clenched at his sides so tightly that they were shaking. It seemed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/under-his-dripping-hair-he-was-as-white-as-parchment-his-hands/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [“I sit, but I'm still stiff as a board. My hands are clenched tight, as if I'm holding my tears in my palms and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-morrill/i-sit-but-i-m-still-stiff-as-a-board-my-hands-are-clenched-tight-as/) [Lauren Morrill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-morrill/) > [“She was looking, not at the spider, but at Neville, and Harry, following her gaze, saw that Neville’s hands were clenched upon the desk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling/she-was-looking-not-at-the-spider-but-at-neville-and-harry-following/) [J.K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling/) > [“Damen was breathing hard, his hands clenched into fists. How dare you talk that way about my father. The words were on his lips.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-pacat/damen-was-breathing-hard-his-hands-clenched-into-fists-how-dare-you/) [C.S. Pacat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-pacat/) ## More by Toni Morrison > [Perhaps that's what all human relationships boiled down to: Would you save my life? or would you take it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/perhaps-that-s-what-all-human-relationships-boiled-down-to-would-you/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [There, in the center of that silence was not eternity but the death of time and a loneliness so profound the word itself had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/there-in-the-center-of-that-silence-was-not-eternity-but-the-death-of/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [In times of dread, artists must never choose to remain silent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/in-times-of-dread-artists-must-never-choose-to-remain-silent/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“Not know it was hard;knowing it was harder”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/not-know-it-was-hard-knowing-it-was-harder/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“Didn’t everything on God’s earth have or acquire defense?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/didn-t-everything-on-god-s-earth-have-or-acquire-defense/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [If you can't count, they can cheat you. If you can't read, they can beat you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/if-you-can-t-count-they-can-cheat-you-if-you-can-t-read-they-can-beat/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“You looked at them and wondered why the were so ugly; you looked closely and could not find the source. Then you realized that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/you-looked-at-them-and-wondered-why-the-were-so-ugly-you-looked/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [All she saw, down in the cellar well beneath the stoop, was a light yellow feather with a tip of green. And she had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/all-she-saw-down-in-the-cellar-well-beneath-the-stoop-was-a-light/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [For me, Art is the restoration of order. It may discuss all sort of terrible things, but there must be satisfaction at the end.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/for-me-art-is-the-restoration-of-order-it-may-discuss-all-sort-of/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“To Sethe, the future was a matter of keeping the past at bay”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/to-sethe-the-future-was-a-matter-of-keeping-the-past-at-bay/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“Hate does that. Burns off everything but itself, so whatever your grievance is, your face looks just like your enemy's.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/hate-does-that-burns-off-everything-but-itself-so-whatever-your/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“You know how a star is supposed to twinkle? We say twinkle because that is how it looks, but when a star feels itself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/you-know-how-a-star-is-supposed-to-twinkle-we-say-twinkle-because/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“There is no bad luck in the world but whitefolks”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/there-is-no-bad-luck-in-the-world-but-whitefolks/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [My father saw two black men lynched on his street in Cartersville, as a child. And I think seeing two black businessmen - not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/my-father-saw-two-black-men-lynched-on-his-street-in-cartersville-as/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [“She was fierce in the presence of death, heroic even, as she was at no other time. Its threat gave her direction, clarity, audacity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/she-was-fierce-in-the-presence-of-death-heroic-even-as-she-was-at-no/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) [Explore all 774 Toni Morrison quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) ## More Butterfly quotes > [The beginning of love is all about the butterflies, but the end of it is when you can't get out of bed in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-swift/the-beginning-of-love-is-all-about-the-butterflies-but-the-end-of-it/) [Taylor Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-swift/) > [One day I decided I would like to put a record into my system. So I picked up a record that was lying on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pauline-oliveros/one-day-i-decided-i-would-like-to-put-a-record-into-my-system-so-i/) [Pauline Oliveros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pauline-oliveros/) > [A room full of words that are nearly the truth but not quite, each note fluttering off the steam of its rose like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/a-room-full-of-words-that-are-nearly-the-truth-but-not-quite-each/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [“Story is a butterfly whose wings transport us to another world where we receive gifts that change who we are and who we want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harley-king/story-is-a-butterfly-whose-wings-transport-us-to-another-world-where/) [Harley King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harley-king/) > [Do you remember how you felt at seventeen? I do and I don't (...) Imagine you came from outer space and someone showed you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/do-you-remember-how-you-felt-at-seventeen-i-do-and-i-don-t-imagine/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) > [Kill not the moth nor butterfly, For the Last Judgement draweth nigh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/kill-not-the-moth-nor-butterfly-for-the-last-judgement-draweth-nigh/) [William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/) > [Farewell,' she said. 'I hope you hear many more songs' - which was the best way she could think of to say good-bye to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/farewell-she-said-i-hope-you-hear-many-more-songs-which-was-the-best/) [Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) > [Know thyself. A maxim as pernicious as it is ugly. Whoever studies himself arrest his own development. A caterpillar who seeks to know himself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/know-thyself-a-maxim-as-pernicious-as-it-is-ugly-whoever-studies/) [Andre Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [When, within our souls and psyches we are made aware of a safe but insistent drum beat, repeated like butterfly wings in motion, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-meeker/when-within-our-souls-and-psyches-we-are-made-aware-of-a-safe-but/) [Mary Meeker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-meeker/) > [I just think about what I am doing on my side of the net, which requires focus. Even after all the years I've been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karch-kiraly/i-just-think-about-what-i-am-doing-on-my-side-of-the-net-which/) [Karch Kiraly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karch-kiraly/) > [My loneliness...still comes over me sometimes...It's a liminal, lost sensation of having wandered wide, endless boulevards, among rows of orange trees, winter butterflies, seasons…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-roth/my-loneliness-still-comes-over-me-sometimes-it-s-a-liminal-lost/) [Marco Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-roth/) > [I used to watch old clips of Muhammad Ali, where he'd be talking the jive during interviews, you know, 'Float like a butterfly, sting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-buffer/i-used-to-watch-old-clips-of-muhammad-ali-where-he-d-be-talking-the/) [Michael Buffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-buffer/) > [Pleasure's a Moth, that sleeps by day And dances by false glare at night; But Joy's a Butterfly, that loves To spread its wings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-davies/pleasure-s-a-moth-that-sleeps-by-day-and-dances-by-false-glare-at/) [W. H. Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-davies/) > [The air is like a butterfly With frail blue wings. The happy earth looks at the sky And sings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-kilmer/the-air-is-like-a-butterfly-with-frail-blue-wings-the-happy-earth/) [Joyce Kilmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-kilmer/) > [I only ask to be free. The butterflies are free. Mankind will surely not deny to Harold Skimpole what it concedes to the butterflies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-only-ask-to-be-free-the-butterflies-are-free-mankind-will-surely/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) [Browse all 1,033 Butterfly quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/butterfly/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "They held hands and knew that only the coffin would lie in the earth; the bubbly laughter and the press of fingers in the palm would stay aboveground forever. 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