--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: And upside down in air were towers…" description: "\"And upside down in air were towers Tolling reminiscent bells, thatkept the hours And voices singing out of empty cisterns and exhausted wells.\" — TS Eliot" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/087/ts-eliot-34425_things-happen-for-a_and-upside-down-in-air-were-towers-tolli_524097.jpg" --- # And upside down in air were towers Tolling reminiscent… ![“And upside down in air were towers Tolling reminiscent bells, thatkept the hours And voices singing out of empty cisterns and exhausted wells.” quote by TS Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/087/ts-eliot-34425_things-happen-for-a_and-upside-down-in-air-were-towers-tolli_524097.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/087/ts-eliot-34425_things-happen-for-a_and-upside-down-in-air-were-towers-tolli_524097.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/087/ts-eliot-34425_things-happen-for-a_and-upside-down-in-air-were-towers-tolli_524097.jpg) > “And upside down in air were towers Tolling reminiscent bells, thatkept the hours And voices singing out of empty cisterns and exhausted wells.” [TS Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ts-eliot/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A chaotic scene of inverted towers and echoing bells suggests a world where time and voices are distorted, reflecting existential disorientation. **In simple terms:** Disordered world with strange sounds and time. Key Takeaway Embrace clarity amid chaos. Themes existentialism modernism disorientation Mood melancholic reflective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - urban exploration - literary analysis - creative writing - philosophical contemplation - mindfulness practice Key Concepts symbolism time voice urban decay Questions to Reflect On - How do you find meaning when familiar structures collapse? - What anchors you when time feels distorted? A Different Perspective The imagery may romanticize turmoil, overlooking practical solutions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bells Thatkept](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bells-thatkept-4416151/) [Cisterns Exhausted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cisterns-exhausted-4416147/) [Reminiscent Bells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reminiscent-bells-4416149/) [Singing Cisterns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/singing-cisterns-4416148/) [Things happen for a reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-happen-for-a-reason/) [Tolling Reminiscent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tolling-reminiscent-4416150/) ## Related quotes > [And voices singing out of empty cisterns and exhausted wells.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-s-eliot/and-voices-singing-out-of-empty-cisterns-and-exhausted-wells/) [T. S. Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-s-eliot/) > [So the last will be first, and the first will be last.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/so-the-last-will-be-first-and-the-first-will-be-last/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I do believe in love at first sight. I believe in a lot of thing. I truly believe everything happens for a reason, even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-do-believe-in-love-at-first-sight-i-believe-in-a-lot-of-thing-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It is difficult to hide your feelings from someone you love, but easy with other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/it-is-difficult-to-hide-your-feelings-from-someone-you-love-but-easy/) [Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/) > [Maria. Nay, but say true, doesit work upon him? Sir Toby Belch. Like aqua vitae with a midwife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/maria-nay-but-say-true-doesit-work-upon-him-sir-toby-belch-like-aqua/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [No reason why anyone should fall from the eyes, Oh, wretched people who take advantage of this limitation, and the desire to rise above…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/no-reason-why-anyone-should-fall-from-the-eyes-oh-wretched-people-who/) [Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/) > [Be Thankful for all things in life. Even for the bad things. SOMETIMES the worst situations in life turn out to be the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/be-thankful-for-all-things-in-life-even-for-the-bad-things-sometimes/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You can't choose what stays and what stays away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-welch/you-can-t-choose-what-stays-and-what-stays-away/) [Florence Welch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-welch/) > [Poet, patting more nonsense foamed From the sea, conceive for thecourts Of these academies, the diviner health Disclosed in common forms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stevens/poet-patting-more-nonsense-foamed-from-the-sea-conceive-for-thecourts/) [Wallace Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stevens/) > [It has no future but itself Its infinite contain Its pastenlightened to perceive New periods of pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-has-no-future-but-itself-its-infinite-contain-its-pastenlightened/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I request to God,, to every boy of the world, must provide at least two daughters,So that everyman, should be forced to learn to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/i-request-to-god-to-every-boy-of-the-world-must-provide-at-least-two/) [Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/) > [... War on the destiny of man! Doom on the sun! Before death takes you, O take back this.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/war-on-the-destiny-of-man-doom-on-the-sun-before-death-takes-you-o/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Lt. Carson: My grandmother was a full-bodied Cherokee Indian. Lili: How exciting. Lt. Carson: It was for my grandfather.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/lt-carson-my-grandmother-was-a-full-bodied-cherokee-indian-lili-how/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The sensible person is always serious about sensible advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/the-sensible-person-is-always-serious-about-sensible-advice/) [Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/) > [What are the height of men who are getting smaller day by day / the Thysis and Research, may be subject to both virgin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/what-are-the-height-of-men-who-are-getting-smaller-day-by-day-the/) [Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/) ## More by TS Eliot > [My own experience and development deepen everyday my conviction that our moral progress may be measured by the degree in which we sympathize with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ts-eliot/my-own-experience-and-development-deepen-everyday-my-conviction-that/) [TS Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ts-eliot/) > [In this brief transit where the dreams cross The dream-crossed twilight between birth and dying Ash Wednesday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ts-eliot/in-this-brief-transit-where-the-dreams-cross-the-dream-crossed/) [TS Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ts-eliot/) > [For last years words belong to last years language and next years words await another voice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ts-eliot/for-last-years-words-belong-to-last-years-language-and-next-years/) [TS Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ts-eliot/) > [Madame Sosostris, famous clairvoyante, Had a bad cold, nevertheless Is known to be the wisest woman in Europe, With a wicked pack of cards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ts-eliot/madame-sosostris-famous-clairvoyante-had-a-bad-cold-nevertheless-is/) [TS Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ts-eliot/) > [Hell is oneself, Hell is alone, the other figures in it merely projections.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ts-eliot/hell-is-oneself-hell-is-alone-the-other-figures-in-it-merely/) [TS Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ts-eliot/) > [Where is the Life we have lost in living?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ts-eliot/where-is-the-life-we-have-lost-in-living/) [TS Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ts-eliot/) > [Fear is the tax which conscience pays to guilt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ts-eliot/fear-is-the-tax-which-conscience-pays-to-guilt/) [TS Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ts-eliot/) > [The awful daring of a moment's surrender which an age of prudence can never retract.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ts-eliot/the-awful-daring-of-a-moment-s-surrender-which-an-age-of-prudence-can-2/) [TS Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ts-eliot/) > [Success is relative. It is what we can make of the mess we have made of things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ts-eliot/success-is-relative-it-is-what-we-can-make-of-the-mess-we-have-made/) [TS Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ts-eliot/) > [“Where is the wisdom we have lost in knowledge? Where is the knowledge we have lost in information?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ts-eliot/where-is-the-wisdom-we-have-lost-in-knowledge-where-is-the-knowledge/) [TS Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ts-eliot/) > [“Between the idea and the reality falls the shadow”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ts-eliot/between-the-idea-and-the-reality-falls-the-shadow/) [TS Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ts-eliot/) > [Radio is a medium of entertainment which permits millions of people to listen to the same joke at the same time, and yet remain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ts-eliot/radio-is-a-medium-of-entertainment-which-permits-millions-of-people/) [TS Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ts-eliot/) > [After such knowledge, what forgiveness? Think now History has many cunning passages, contrived corridors And issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ts-eliot/after-such-knowledge-what-forgiveness-think-now-history-has-many-3/) [TS Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ts-eliot/) [Explore all 14 TS Eliot quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ts-eliot/) ## More Things happen for a reason quotes > [What are the height of men who are getting smaller day by day / the Thysis and Research, may be subject to both virgin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/what-are-the-height-of-men-who-are-getting-smaller-day-by-day-the/) [Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/) > [The sensible person is always serious about sensible advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/the-sensible-person-is-always-serious-about-sensible-advice/) [Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/) > [Lt. Carson: My grandmother was a full-bodied Cherokee Indian. Lili: How exciting. Lt. Carson: It was for my grandfather.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/lt-carson-my-grandmother-was-a-full-bodied-cherokee-indian-lili-how/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [... War on the destiny of man! Doom on the sun! Before death takes you, O take back this.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/war-on-the-destiny-of-man-doom-on-the-sun-before-death-takes-you-o/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I request to God,, to every boy of the world, must provide at least two daughters,So that everyman, should be forced to learn to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/i-request-to-god-to-every-boy-of-the-world-must-provide-at-least-two/) [Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/) > [It has no future but itself Its infinite contain Its pastenlightened to perceive New periods of pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-has-no-future-but-itself-its-infinite-contain-its-pastenlightened/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Poet, patting more nonsense foamed From the sea, conceive for thecourts Of these academies, the diviner health Disclosed in common forms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stevens/poet-patting-more-nonsense-foamed-from-the-sea-conceive-for-thecourts/) [Wallace Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stevens/) > [You can't choose what stays and what stays away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-welch/you-can-t-choose-what-stays-and-what-stays-away/) [Florence Welch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-welch/) > [Be Thankful for all things in life. Even for the bad things. SOMETIMES the worst situations in life turn out to be the best…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/be-thankful-for-all-things-in-life-even-for-the-bad-things-sometimes/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [No reason why anyone should fall from the eyes, Oh, wretched people who take advantage of this limitation, and the desire to rise above…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/no-reason-why-anyone-should-fall-from-the-eyes-oh-wretched-people-who/) [Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/) > [Maria. Nay, but say true, doesit work upon him? Sir Toby Belch. Like aqua vitae with a midwife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/maria-nay-but-say-true-doesit-work-upon-him-sir-toby-belch-like-aqua/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [It is difficult to hide your feelings from someone you love, but easy with other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/it-is-difficult-to-hide-your-feelings-from-someone-you-love-but-easy/) [Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/) > [I do believe in love at first sight. I believe in a lot of thing. I truly believe everything happens for a reason, even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-do-believe-in-love-at-first-sight-i-believe-in-a-lot-of-thing-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [So the last will be first, and the first will be last.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/so-the-last-will-be-first-and-the-first-will-be-last/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [God makes things happen for a reason. So just remember, when something bad happens, God will always help you. (: so smile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-makes-things-happen-for-a-reason-so-just-remember-when-something/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 2,607 Things happen for a reason quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-happen-for-a-reason/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "And upside down in air were towers Tolling reminiscent bells, thatkept the hours And voices singing out of empty cisterns and exhausted wells.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "TS Eliot" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ts-eliot/and-upside-down-in-air-were-towers-tolling-reminiscent-bells-thatkept/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Things happen for a reason" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ts-eliot/and-upside-down-in-air-were-towers-tolling-reminiscent-bells-thatkept/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/087/ts-eliot-34425_things-happen-for-a_and-upside-down-in-air-were-towers-tolli_524097.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/087/ts-eliot-34425_things-happen-for-a_and-upside-down-in-air-were-towers-tolli_524097.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/087/ts-eliot-34425_things-happen-for-a_and-upside-down-in-air-were-towers-tolli_524097.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“And upside down in air were towers Tolling reminiscent bells, thatkept the hours And voices singing out of…” — TS Eliot", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "TS Eliot", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ts-eliot/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "And upside down in air were...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ts-eliot/and-upside-down-in-air-were-towers-tolling-reminiscent-bells-thatkept/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ts-eliot/and-upside-down-in-air-were-towers-tolling-reminiscent-bells-thatkept/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```