QuoteProject
Farewell, my old fan. / Having scribbled on it, / What could I do but tear it / At the end of summer?
Matsuo Basho
ShareWTF𝕏

Interpretation

What this quote means

The quote reflects on the inevitable transition and letting go of the past with the changing seasons.

In this quote by Matsuo Basho, the speaker addresses an old fan, symbolizing memories or things that once provided solace. The act of tearing it at the end of summer signifies acceptance of change and the necessity to move on as seasons shift, representing the cycles of life and the emotions tied to farewells.

Themes

ChangeFarewellSeasonsLetting GoMemories

In practice

Example use cases

In a farewell speech, when reflecting on a cherished phase in life.

More from Matsuo Basho

Harvest moon: around the pond I wander and the night is gone.
Matsuo BashoRead
Now the swinging bridge Is quieted with creepers ... Like our tendrilled life.
Matsuo BashoRead
Winter solitude- in a world of one colour the sound of the wind.
Matsuo BashoRead
The moon and sun are travelers through eternity. Even the years wander on. Whether drifting through life on a boat or climbing toward old age leading a horse, each day is a journey, and the journey itself is home.
Matsuo BashoRead
Ballet in the air... Twin butterflies until, twice white They Meet, they mate
Matsuo BashoRead
Every day is a journey, and the journey itself is home.
Matsuo BashoRead

Similar quotes

Workers of the world unite; you have nothing to lose but your chains.
Karl MarxRead
Your career is not going to go the way you planned. It is impossible at the age of 23 to pick the right industry, the right company, and you can visualize what you're going to be doing in your 40s, 50s, and 60s, but chances are that it's going to be something quite different. So remain open to opportunities and change.
Sallie KrawcheckRead
To survive, China had to open up to the West. It could not survive otherwise. This was after many millions have died of hunger in a country that was like North Korea is today. Once we became part of global competition, we had to agree to some rules. It's painful, but we had to. Otherwise there was no way to survive.
Ai WeiweiRead
When we uncovered the Hinkley case, there were so many other cases like it, and they're just catching up. And we're just starting to see the damage. I was hoping by now there would be more transparency and less defeat and cover-up. I haven't seen much of that change.
Erin BrockovichRead
When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us.
Alexander Graham BellRead
The glory of this land has been its capacity for transcending the moral evils of our past. For example, the long struggle of minority citizens for equal rights, once a source of disunity and civil war, is now a point of pride for all Americans. We must never go back. There is no room for racism, anti-Semitism, or other forms of ethnic and racial hatred in this country.
Ronald ReaganRead

A little wisdom, now and then

Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.