--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For if it is rash to walk into a lion's…" description: "\"“For if it is rash to walk into a lion's den unarmed, rash to navigate the Atlantic in a rowing boat, rash to stand on one foot on the top of St Paul's..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/209/virginia-woolf-49_home-alone_for-if-it-is-rash-to-walk-into-a-lion-s_935507.jpg" --- # For if it is rash to walk into a lion's den unarmed, rash… ![“For if it is rash to walk into a lion's den unarmed, rash to navigate the Atlantic in a rowing boat, rash to stand on one foot on the top of St Paul's, it is still more rash to go home alone with a poet. A poet is Atlantic and lion in one. While one drowns us the other gnaws us. If we survive the…” quote by Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/209/virginia-woolf-49_home-alone_for-if-it-is-rash-to-walk-into-a-lion-s_935507.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/209/virginia-woolf-49_home-alone_for-if-it-is-rash-to-walk-into-a-lion-s_935507.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/209/virginia-woolf-49_home-alone_for-if-it-is-rash-to-walk-into-a-lion-s_935507.jpg) > ““For if it is rash to walk into a lion's den unarmed, rash to navigate the Atlantic in a rowing boat, rash to stand on one foot on the top of St Paul's, it is still more rash to go home alone with a poet. A poet is Atlantic and lion in one. While one drowns us the other gnaws us. If we survive the teeth, we succumb to the waves. A man who can destroy illusions is both beast and flood.”” [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Explores the paradox of confronting danger alone versus with artistic companionship, suggesting poetry blends bravery and vulnerability. **In simple terms:** Poetry mixes courage and risk, more daring than physical feats. Key Takeaway Seek artistic depth over solitary bravado. Themes courage artistic expression risk Mood reflective philosophical Type literary inspirational When to use this quote - writing retreats - solo travel - creative collaborations Key Concepts existentialism creative paradox Questions to Reflect On - What risks are worth taking for artistic truth? - How does companionship alter perceived danger? A Different Perspective May romanticize danger without practical safety. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Home alone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home-alone/) [Home Poet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home-poet-1557267/) [Lion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lion/) [Poet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poet/) [Poet Atlantic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poet-atlantic-1557266/) [Poet Poet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poet-poet-399716/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [St Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/st-paul/) ## Related quotes > [“For if it is rash to walk into a lion's den unarmed, rash to navigate the Atlantic in a rowing boat, rash to stand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/for-if-it-is-rash-to-walk-into-a-lion-s-den-unarmed-rash-to-navigate-3/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“For if it is rash to walk into a lion’s den unarmed, rash to navigate the Atlantic in a rowing boat, rash to stand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/for-if-it-is-rash-to-walk-into-a-lion-s-den-unarmed-rash-to-navigate/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“What is a poet? A poet is an unhappy being whose heart is torn by secret sufferings, but whose lips are so strangely formed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kierkegaard/what-is-a-poet-a-poet-is-an-unhappy-being-whose-heart-is-torn-by/) [Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kierkegaard/) > [“Once a poet, always a poet.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-mckenzie/once-a-poet-always-a-poet/) [Catherine McKenzie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-mckenzie/) > [ Whoever would understand the poet Must go into the poet's country. \[Ger., Wer den Dichter will verstehen Muss in Dichters Lande gehen.\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/whoever-would-understand-the-poet-must-go-into-the-poet-s-country-ger/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [A poet is a poet, whether he rides in a Ford or on a donkey; a sage is a sage, whether he plays golf…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ameen-rihani/a-poet-is-a-poet-whether-he-rides-in-a-ford-or-on-a-donkey-a-sage-is/) [Ameen Rihani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ameen-rihani/) > [“Loving my Poet as I do, though, I try hard to understand what a poet is. The first clue lies in the fact that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naeem-murr/loving-my-poet-as-i-do-though-i-try-hard-to-understand-what-a-poet-is/) [Naeem Murr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naeem-murr/) > [No one is a poet from eight to twelve and from two to six. Whoever is a poet is one always, and continually assaulted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jorge-luis-borges/no-one-is-a-poet-from-eight-to-twelve-and-from-two-to-six-whoever-is/) [Jorge Luis Borges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jorge-luis-borges/) > [“I am a poet. I am very fond of bananas. I am bananas. I am very fond of a poet. I am a poet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-cope/i-am-a-poet-i-am-very-fond-of-bananas-i-am-bananas-i-am-very-fond-of/) [Wendy Cope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-cope/) > [A poet is not something you become; a poet is something you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-prelutsky/a-poet-is-not-something-you-become-a-poet-is-something-you-are/) [Jack Prelutsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-prelutsky/) > [The reason a poet is a poet is to write poems, not to advertise himself as a poet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yehuda-amichai/the-reason-a-poet-is-a-poet-is-to-write-poems-not-to-advertise/) [Yehuda Amichai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yehuda-amichai/) > [To be a poet at twenty is to be twenty: to be a poet at forty is to be a poet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-delacroix/to-be-a-poet-at-twenty-is-to-be-twenty-to-be-a-poet-at-forty-is-to-be/) [Eugene Delacroix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-delacroix/) > [Why do people want to know exactly who I am? Am I a poet? Am I this or that? I've always made people wary.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-smith/why-do-people-want-to-know-exactly-who-i-am-am-i-a-poet-am-i-this-or/) [Patti Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-smith/) > [How do you define a poet? It's very simple. Anyone declaring that he is a poet, is a poet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-cannon/how-do-you-define-a-poet-it-s-very-simple-anyone-declaring-that-he-is/) [Billy Cannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-cannon/) > [Wherever St. Paul went, there was a riot. Wherever I go, they serve tea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-wright-2/wherever-st-paul-went-there-was-a-riot-wherever-i-go-they-serve-tea/) [N. T. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright-2/) ## More by Virginia Woolf > [Fatigue is the safest sleeping draught.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/fatigue-is-the-safest-sleeping-draught/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“The train slows and lengthens, as we approach London, the centre, and my heart draws out too, in fear, in exaltation. I am about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/the-train-slows-and-lengthens-as-we-approach-london-the-centre-and-my/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“Across the broad continent of a woman's life falls the shadow of a sword. On one side all is correct, definite, orderly; the paths…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/across-the-broad-continent-of-a-woman-s-life-falls-the-shadow-of-a/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“Other worshipful objects were content with worship; men, women, God, all let one kneel prostrate; but this form, were it only the shape of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/other-worshipful-objects-were-content-with-worship-men-women-god-all/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [Why does Samuel Butler say, 'Wise men never say what they think of women'? Wise men never say anything else apparently.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/why-does-samuel-butler-say-wise-men-never-say-what-they-think-of/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“Sometimes he woke with a brain like lead; at others it was as if a thousand wax tapers were alight and people were throwing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/sometimes-he-woke-with-a-brain-like-lead-at-others-it-was-as-if-a/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [The extraordinary woman depends on the ordinary woman. It is only when we know what were the conditions of the average woman's life -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/the-extraordinary-woman-depends-on-the-ordinary-woman-it-is-only-when/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [A veil of insanity everywhere: Oh why I was born in this age? It is a terrible age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/a-veil-of-insanity-everywhere-oh-why-i-was-born-in-this-age-it-is-a/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [Love ought to stop on both sides, don’t you think, simultaneously?’ He spoke without any stress on the words, so as not to wake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/love-ought-to-stop-on-both-sides-don-t-you-think-simultaneously-he/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“It is so vast an alleviation to be able to point for another to look at. And then not to talk. To follow the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/it-is-so-vast-an-alleviation-to-be-able-to-point-for-another-to-look/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“What a vast fertility of pleasure books hold for me! (...) I think I could happily live here & read forever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/what-a-vast-fertility-of-pleasure-books-hold-for-me-i-think-i-could/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“what a luxury to be alone once more,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/what-a-luxury-to-be-alone-once-more/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“...a woman writing thinks back through her mothers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/a-woman-writing-thinks-back-through-her-mothers/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“For one's children so often gave one's own perceptions a little thrust forwards.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/for-one-s-children-so-often-gave-one-s-own-perceptions-a-little/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“She would not say of anyone in the world now that they were this or were that. She felt very young; at the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/she-would-not-say-of-anyone-in-the-world-now-that-they-were-this-or/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) [Explore all 1,872 Virginia Woolf quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) ## More Home alone quotes > [You arent the only one sitting home alone on a Saturday night. Wonder if your future boyfriend/girlfriend is doing the same thing you are](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-arent-the-only-one-sitting-home-alone-on-a-saturday-night-wonder/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't think I could compare myself to Macaulay Culkin, because we're pretty much two different kinds of actors. He's done a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-bonsall/i-don-t-think-i-could-compare-myself-to-macaulay-culkin-because-we-re/) [Brian Bonsall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-bonsall/) > [A beautiful woman that can go out and then come home alone and lay in bed alone, is a woman with standards and self…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-beautiful-woman-that-can-go-out-and-then-come-home-alone-and-lay-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life's Highs... 1. Laughing hysterically 2. Dancing your heart out 3. Star gazing 4. Shopping 5. Going to the beach 6. Listening to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/life-s-highs-1-laughing-hysterically-2-dancing-your-heart-out-3-star/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [From November through December, 'tis the season for 'Home Alone!'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-o-hara/from-november-through-december-tis-the-season-for-home-alone/) [Catherine O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-o-hara/) > [“If I was home alone at night, I cooked myself an entire meal from one of these cookbooks. Then I sat down in front…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/if-i-was-home-alone-at-night-i-cooked-myself-an-entire-meal-from-one/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [On stage I make love to twenty five thousand people; and then I go home alone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janis-joplin/on-stage-i-make-love-to-twenty-five-thousand-people-and-then-i-go/) [Janis Joplin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janis-joplin/) > [If you wait to approach her, you might be going home alone. It's what they mean by, He who hesitates, masturbates.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-wait-to-approach-her-you-might-be-going-home-alone-it-s-what/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [While you were sittin' home alone at age thirteen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-jam/while-you-were-sittin-home-alone-at-age-thirteen/) [Pearl Jam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-jam/) > [“Extend Invitations "How many times have you sat at home alone feeling jealous or sad that you were not invited to a party or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-c-young/extend-invitations-how-many-times-have-you-sat-at-home-alone-feeling/) [Susan C. Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-c-young/) > [You staying home all alone on New Year's Eve? Unthinkable. Take my advice the countdown should be shared with someone, or it's just another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-staying-home-all-alone-on-new-year-s-eve-unthinkable-take-my/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Being home alone at night makes me a bit nervous. If I'm at home alone, I have to sleep on the sofa - I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-nadal/being-home-alone-at-night-makes-me-a-bit-nervous-if-i-m-at-home-alone/) [Rafael Nadal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-nadal/) > [I'm way too young to be living with a boyfriend. I just want to be home alone and figure out who I am. Right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristin-cavallari/i-m-way-too-young-to-be-living-with-a-boyfriend-i-just-want-to-be/) [Kristin Cavallari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristin-cavallari/) > [In a dog social cue from a master can override where he saw the being placed. That won’t happen unless we have bred a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/temple-grandin/in-a-dog-social-cue-from-a-master-can-override-where-he-saw-the-being/) [Temple Grandin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/temple-grandin/) > [Home alone with a wakeful newborn, I could shower so quickly that the mirror didn't fog and the backs of my knees stayed dry.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marni-jackson/home-alone-with-a-wakeful-newborn-i-could-shower-so-quickly-that-the/) [Marni Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marni-jackson/) [Browse all 149 Home alone quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home-alone/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“For if it is rash to walk into a lion's den unarmed, rash to navigate the Atlantic in a rowing boat, rash to stand on one foot on the top of St Paul's, it is still more rash to go home alone with a poet. A poet is Atlantic and lion in one. While one drowns us the other gnaws us. 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