--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Behind the corpse in the reservoir…" description: "\"Behind the corpse in the reservoir, behind the ghost on the links, Behind the lady who dances and the man who madly drinks, Under the look of fatigue, ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a08/w-h-auden-856_behinds_behind-the-corpse-in-the-reservoir-behin_444054.jpg" --- # Behind the corpse in the reservoir, behind the ghost on… ![“Behind the corpse in the reservoir, behind the ghost on the links, Behind the lady who dances and the man who madly drinks, Under the look of fatigue, the attack of migraine and the sigh There is always another story, there is more than meets the eye.” quote by W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a08/w-h-auden-856_behinds_behind-the-corpse-in-the-reservoir-behin_444054.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a08/w-h-auden-856_behinds_behind-the-corpse-in-the-reservoir-behin_444054.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a08/w-h-auden-856_behinds_behind-the-corpse-in-the-reservoir-behin_444054.jpg) > “Behind the corpse in the reservoir, behind the ghost on the links, Behind the lady who dances and the man who madly drinks, Under the look of fatigue, the attack of migraine and the sigh There is always another story, there is more than meets the eye.” [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Every surface hides deeper layers; appearances are incomplete. **In simple terms:** Things are deeper than they seem. Key Takeaway Look beyond obvious signs. Themes depth appearance truth Mood curious inquisitive Type literary analytical When to use this quote - investigative journalism - personal relationships - art critique Key Concepts layers of meaning hidden narratives Questions to Reflect On - What hidden stories might you be overlooking? - How do you dig beneath first impressions? A Different Perspective Surface observations can be misleading, requiring deeper inquiry. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Behinds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behinds/) [Corpse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corpse/) [Corpse Reservoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corpse-reservoir-2581173/) [Drink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drink/) [Eye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eye/) [Fatigue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fatigue/) [Ghost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ghost/) [Ghost Links](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ghost-links-3887972/) [Links](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/links/) [Looks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looks/) [Meets Eye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meets-eye-371781/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Migraine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/migraine/) [More than meets the eye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/more-than-meets-the-eye-125206/) [Reservoir Ghost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reservoir-ghost-2581172/) [Sigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sigh/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) ## Related quotes > [“Behind the corpse in the reservoir, behind the ghost on the links, Behind the land who dances and the man who madly drinks, Under…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-e-starrs/behind-the-corpse-in-the-reservoir-behind-the-ghost-on-the-links-2/) [James E. Starrs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-e-starrs/) > [There's always another story. There's more than meets the eye.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-s-always-another-story-there-s-more-than-meets-the-eye/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The secret of good architecture is having more than meets the eye.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annabelle-selldorf/the-secret-of-good-architecture-is-having-more-than-meets-the-eye/) [Annabelle Selldorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annabelle-selldorf/) > [The glory of the garden lies in more than meets the eye.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/the-glory-of-the-garden-lies-in-more-than-meets-the-eye/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [I'm Fasinated by women who aren't making a great impression on people. I think there's probably something there that is more than meets the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calista-flockhart/i-m-fasinated-by-women-who-aren-t-making-a-great-impression-on-people/) [Calista Flockhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calista-flockhart/) > [Design is more than meets the eye. Design is about communicating benefits. Design is not about designers. Design is not an ocean it's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-green/design-is-more-than-meets-the-eye-design-is-about-communicating/) [Chuck Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-green/) > [I like small things, I like small moments that are almost elliptical, that are not necessarily linear; they're natural things that happen in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-carter/i-like-small-things-i-like-small-moments-that-are-almost-elliptical/) [Keith Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-carter/) > [A tattoo is a true poetic creation, and is always more than meets the eye. As a tattoo is grounded on living skin, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-vale/a-tattoo-is-a-true-poetic-creation-and-is-always-more-than-meets-the/) [V. Vale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-vale/) > [“than meets the eye! 79 Don’t worry, Fearless Reader—he was framed and eventually demonstrated his innocence. 80 I don’t want to tell them their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-kakalios/than-meets-the-eye-79-don-t-worry-fearless-reader-he-was-framed-and/) [James Kakalios](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-kakalios/) > [I think there's more to this hobbit than meets the eye.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-think-there-s-more-to-this-hobbit-than-meets-the-eye/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There is more here than meets the eye.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murasaki-shikibu/there-is-more-here-than-meets-the-eye/) [Murasaki Shikibu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murasaki-shikibu/) > [“There's more to you than meets the eye”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-niven/there-s-more-to-you-than-meets-the-eye/) [Jennifer Niven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-niven/) > [It may be said with a degree of assurance that not everything that meets the eye is as it appears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-serling/it-may-be-said-with-a-degree-of-assurance-that-not-everything-that/) [Rod Serling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-serling/) > [There is this looking at the world as shapes and patterns and colors that have meaning, and you can't deny the superficial because the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-tillmans/there-is-this-looking-at-the-world-as-shapes-and-patterns-and-colors/) [Wolfgang Tillmans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-tillmans/) > [People at large are becoming more aware that there is much more to reality and to themselves than what meets the eye.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanna-bonta/people-at-large-are-becoming-more-aware-that-there-is-much-more-to/) [Vanna Bonta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanna-bonta/) ## More by W. H. Auden > [Pleasure is by no means an infallible critical guide, but it is the least fallible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/pleasure-is-by-no-means-an-infallible-critical-guide-but-it-is-the/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [Why doesn't the United States take over the monarchy and unite with England? England does have important assets. Naturally the longer you wait, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/why-doesn-t-the-united-states-take-over-the-monarchy-and-unite-with/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [The commonest ivory tower is that of the average man, the state of passivity towards experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/the-commonest-ivory-tower-is-that-of-the-average-man-the-state-of/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [Harrow the house of the dead; look shining at New styles of architecture, a change of heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/harrow-the-house-of-the-dead-look-shining-at-new-styles-of/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [Most poetry is the utterance of a man in some state of passion, love, joy, grief, rage, etc., and no doubt this is as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/most-poetry-is-the-utterance-of-a-man-in-some-state-of-passion-love/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [Men will pay large sums to whores for telling them they are not bores.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/men-will-pay-large-sums-to-whores-for-telling-them-they-are-not-bores/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [If age, which is certainly Just as wicked as youth, look any wiser, It is only that youth is still able to believe It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/if-age-which-is-certainly-just-as-wicked-as-youth-look-any-wiser-it/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [“Those to whom evil is done, do evil in return”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/those-to-whom-evil-is-done-do-evil-in-return/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [I and the public know What all schoolchildren learn, Those to whom evil is done Do evil in return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/i-and-the-public-know-what-all-schoolchildren-learn-those-to-whom/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [One cannot walk through an assembly factory and not feel that one is in Hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/one-cannot-walk-through-an-assembly-factory-and-not-feel-that-one-is/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [How happy the lot of the mathematician. He is judged solely by his peers, and the standard is so high that no colleague or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/how-happy-the-lot-of-the-mathematician-he-is-judged-solely-by-his/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [Perhaps there is only one cardinal sin: impatience. Because of impatience we were driven out of Paradise, because of impatience we cannot return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/perhaps-there-is-only-one-cardinal-sin-impatience-because-of/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [The windiest militant trash Important Persons shout Is not so crude as our wish: What mad Nijinsky wrote About Diaghilev Is true of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/the-windiest-militant-trash-important-persons-shout-is-not-so-crude/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [Time and fevers burn away Individual beauty from Thoughtful children, and the grave Proves the child ephemeral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/time-and-fevers-burn-away-individual-beauty-from-thoughtful-children/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [To hunt for symbols in a fairy tale is absolutely fatal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/to-hunt-for-symbols-in-a-fairy-tale-is-absolutely-fatal/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) [Explore all 344 W. H. Auden quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) ## More Behinds quotes > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Time is painted with a lock before, and bald behind, signifying thereby that we must take time by the forelock; for, when it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/time-is-painted-with-a-lock-before-and-bald-behind-signifying-thereby/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [God hides Himself behind causes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-rollin/god-hides-himself-behind-causes/) [Charles Rollin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-rollin/) > [Home is behind, the world ahead, And there are many paths to tread Through shadows to the edge of night, Until the stars are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/home-is-behind-the-world-ahead-and-there-are-many-paths-to-tread/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Behind every word flows energy. If you use your words to gossip or babble about what you are going to do before you do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-choquette/behind-every-word-flows-energy-if-you-use-your-words-to-gossip-or/) [Sonia Choquette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-choquette/) > [With the realization of God comes all power. If the little wave knew that behind it is the great ocean, it could say, "I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/with-the-realization-of-god-comes-all-power-if-the-little-wave-knew/) [Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/) > [Conservatism is not about leaving people behind. Conservatism is about empowering people to catch up, to give them the tools at their disposable that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/conservatism-is-not-about-leaving-people-behind-conservatism-is-about/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [And the seasons they go 'round and 'round And the painted ponies go up and down We're captive on the carousel of time We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-mitchell/and-the-seasons-they-go-round-and-round-and-the-painted-ponies-go-up/) [Joni Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-mitchell/) > [It is worthwhile for anyone to have behind him a few generations of honest, hard-working ancestry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-worthwhile-for-anyone-to-have-behind-him-a-few-generations-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm really thankful to God, man. Like now, I'm really making a real comeback with my group. With or without a record, with or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ike-turner/i-m-really-thankful-to-god-man-like-now-i-m-really-making-a-real/) [Ike Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ike-turner/) > [Empires fall, ids explode, great symphonies are written, and behind all of it is a single instinct that demands satisfaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherwin-b-nuland/empires-fall-ids-explode-great-symphonies-are-written-and-behind-all/) [Sherwin B. Nuland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherwin-b-nuland/) > [ Just between you and me, shouldn’t the World Bank be encouraging MORE migration of the dirty industries to the LDCs \[Less Developed Countries\]?... I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-summers/just-between-you-and-me-shouldn-t-the-world-bank-be-encouraging-more/) [Lawrence Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-summers/) > [After a few mouthfuls of moon-flavored air, even the stubbornly drowsy can find themselves wide-eyed.. All the normal noises of life were gone, leaving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-d-wilson/after-a-few-mouthfuls-of-moon-flavored-air-even-the-stubbornly-drowsy/) [N.D. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-d-wilson/) [Browse all 6,789 Behinds quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behinds/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Behind the corpse in the reservoir, behind the ghost on the links, Behind the lady who dances and the man who madly drinks, Under the look of fatigue, the attack of migraine and the sigh There is always another story, there is more than meets the eye.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "W. H. 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