Beauty Quote by Wallace Stevens
“She says, "But in contentment I still feel The need for imperishable bliss." Death is the mother of beauty; hence from her, Alone, shall come fulfillment to our dreams And our desires. Is there no change of death in paradise? Does ripe fruit never fall? or do the boughs Hang always heavy in that perfect sky, Unchanging, yet so like our perishing earth, With rivers like our own that seek for seas They never find, the same receding shores That never touch with inarticulate pang?”
About This Quote
Source Poem: “The Death of the Moth”, 1915
Contemplates the tension between longing for eternal bliss and the inevitability of death, using natural imagery.
In simple terms: Seeks lasting joy despite mortality.
Key Takeaway
Embrace impermanence while pursuing meaning.
Themes
mortality
beauty
longing
Mood
reflective
melancholic
Type
philosophical
poetic
When to use this quote
- grief coping
- spiritual reflection
- artistic inspiration
- life purpose
- mindfulness
Key Concepts
existentialism
poetry
philosophy
Questions to Reflect On
- What does “imperishable bliss” mean to you?
- How can you find beauty amid mortality?
A Different Perspective
May romanticize death, ignoring practical life concerns.
