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Cities Quote by Walt Whitman

“The city sleeps and the country sleeps, the living sleep for their time, the dead sleep for their time, the old husband sleeps by his wife and the young husband sleeps by his wife; and these tend inward to me, and I tend outward to them, and such as it is to be of these more or less I am, and of…” quote by Walt Whitman
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“The city sleeps and the country sleeps, the living sleep for their time, the dead sleep for their time, the old husband sleeps by his wife and the young husband sleeps by his wife; and these tend inward to me, and I tend outward to them, and such as it is to be of these more or less I am, and of these one and all I weave the song of myself.”

Walt Whitman

About This Quote

Source Poem: Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman, 1855

The poem reflects on universal sleep, linking all beings through shared cycles of rest and existence, weaving personal identity into a collective song.

In simple terms: Everyone shares the same cycles of life.

Key Takeaway

Recognize your place in the larger whole.

Themes

unity existence identity

Mood

contemplative melancholic

Type

poetic philosophical

When to use this quote

  • sleep studies
  • philosophical reflection
  • creative writing workshops

Key Concepts

interconnectedness human condition cyclical nature

Questions to Reflect On

  • What does “sleep” symbolize for you?
  • How do you see yourself in the broader tapestry of life?
A Different Perspective

Individual experience may differ; not all feel this unity.

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