But what is Hope? Nothing but the paint on the face of Existence; the least touch of truth rubs it off, and then we see what a hollow-cheeked harlot we have got hold of.
Lord ByronRead
My days are in the yellow leaf; The flowers and fruits of love are gone; The worm, the canker, and the grief, Are mine alone!
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote expresses a sense of loss and reflection on the fleeting nature of love and life.
In this quote, Lord Byron reflects on the passage of time and the inevitable decline that comes with aging. The imagery of 'yellow leaf' symbolizes a life that is waning, while the mention of grief and decay suggests feelings of loneliness and melancholy as love and joy fade away, leaving behind sorrow and regret.
Themes
LossLoveAgingGriefMelancholy
In practice
Example use cases
In a eulogy, to express the beauty and tragedy of life.
More from Lord Byron
All quotes βIt is the lava of the imagination whose eruption prevents an earthquake.
Lord ByronRead
For what were all these country patriots born? To hunt, and vote, and raise the price of corn?
Lord ByronRead
Absence - that common cure of love.
Lord ByronRead
Her great merit is finding out mine; there is nothing so amiable as discernment.
Lord ByronRead
But words are things, and a small drop of ink, Falling like dew, upon a thought, produces That which makes thousands, perhaps millions, think.
Lord ByronRead
Similar quotes
Life may not always fall into neat chapters, and you may not always get the satisfying ending you're looking for, but sometimes a good explanation is all the rewrite you need.
Harlan CobenRead
Life is like arriving late for a movie, having to figure out what was going on without bothering everybody with a lot of questions, and then being unexpectedly called away before you find out how it ends.
Joseph CampbellRead
What will I be doing in twenty years' time? I'll be dead, darling! Are you crazy?
Freddie MercuryRead
We are like boxers, one never knows how much longer one has
Clint EastwoodRead
The first thing to do in life is to do with purpose what one purposes to do.
Pablo CasalsRead
If you take a deep breath and look around, 'Look what's happening to me!' can become 'Look what's happening!' And what's happening? The incredible drama of life is happening. And we're in it!
Sylvia BoorsteinRead