Darkness Quote by William Stafford
““A Ritual to Read to Each Other If you don’t know the kind of person I am and I don’t know the kind of person you are a pattern that others made may prevail in the world and following the wrong god home we may miss our star. For there is many a small betrayal in the mind, a shrug that lets the fragile sequence break sending with shouts the horrible errors of childhood storming out to play through the broken dyke. And as elephants parade holding each elephant’s tail, but if one wanders the circus won’t find the park, I call it cruel and maybe the root of all cruelty to know what occurs but not recognize the fact. And so I appeal to a voice, to something shadowy, a remote important region in all who talk: though we could fool each other, we should consider--- lest the parade of our mutual life get lost in the dark. For it is important that awake people be awake, or a breaking line may discourage them back to sleep; the signals we give---yes or no, or maybe--- should be clear: the darkness around us is deep.””
About This Quote
Source Poem: “A Ritual to Read to Each Other”, 1970
Human connection requires honest communication to avoid misunderstandings and hidden betrayals.
In simple terms: Speak clearly to stay connected.
Key Takeaway
Practice transparent dialogue.
Themes
communication
trust
humanity
Mood
reflective
serious
Type
poetic
philosophical
When to use this quote
- friendships
- family gatherings
- team meetings
Key Concepts
misunderstanding
betrayal
awakening
Questions to Reflect On
- What signals do you miss in conversations?
- How can you ensure clarity in shared rituals?
A Different Perspective
People often ignore subtle signals, leading to conflict.
