Clear Quote by W. H. Auden
“Clear, unscaleable ahead, Rise the mountains of instead From whose cold, cascading streams None may drink except in dreams”
About This Quote
Source Poem: "The Shield of Achilles" by W. H. Auden, 1939
The verse juxtaposes impossible aspirations with harsh reality, suggesting that lofty goals often remain unattainable and only exist in imagination.
In simple terms: Dreams set impossible goals that reality can't meet.
Key Takeaway
Accept limits, seek realistic paths.
Themes
aspiration
reality
illusion
nature
humanity
Mood
melancholic
reflective
Type
poetic
philosophical
When to use this quote
- personal ambition
- environmental planning
- creative writing
- goal setting
Key Concepts
existentialism
contrasting imagery
symbolism
Questions to Reflect On
- Do you chase dreams that are impossible?
- How can you balance vision with feasibility?
A Different Perspective
Idealism can ignore practical constraints, leading to frustration.
![“We have no clear ideas of the agency of [demonic] spirits, nor is it necessary. The Scripture says little to satisfy our curiosity; but tells us plainly that he is always watching us, and desiring to sift us as wheat. I believe we give him no more than his due, when we charge him with having a…” quote by John Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c75/john-newton-6629_abundance_we-have-no-clear-ideas-of-the-agency-of_2907.jpg)
