Anyone with gumption and a sharp mind will take the measure of two things: what's said and what's done.
Seamus HeaneyRead
Now it’s high watermark and floodtide in the heart and time to go. The sea-nymphs in the spray will be the chorus now. What’s left to say? Suspect too much sweet-talk but never close your mind. It was a fortunate wind that blew me here. I leave half-ready to believe that a crippled trust might walk and the half-true rhyme is love.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects on the complexities of love and trust at a transformative moment.
Seamus Heaney's quote explores the emotional landscape of love, encapsulating a moment of departure and reflection. It suggests that love is an intricate blend of hope and skepticism, where one must remain open to possibilities despite past hurts. The imagery of sea-nymphs and the references to wind symbolize natural forces that guide the heart, while acknowledging the duality of trust – that even a fractured trust can still hold the potential to rise again.
Themes
LoveTrustEmotionsDepartureComplexity
In practice
Example use cases
During a wedding ceremony, this quote can be used to emphasize the journey of love and trust.
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In my early teens, I acquired a kind of representative status: went on behalf of the family to wakes and funerals and so on. And I would be counted on as an adult contributor when it came to farm work - the hay in the summertime, for example.
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I think that water is immediately interesting. It's just, as an element, it is full of life. It is associated with origin; it is bright - it reflects you.
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