And what a congress of stinks!- Roots ripe as old bait, Pulpy stems, rank, silo-rich, Leaf mold, manure, lime, piled against slippery planks, Nothing would give up life: Even the dirt kept breathing a small breath.
Theodore RoethkeRead
The indignity of it!-_x000D_ _x000D_ With everything blooming above me,_x000D_ _x000D_ Lilies, pale-pink cyclamen, roses,_x000D_ _x000D_ Whole fields lovely and inviolate,-_x000D_ _x000D_ Me down in the fetor of weeds,_x000D_ _x000D_ Crawling on all fours,_x000D_ _x000D_ Alive, in a slippery grave.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects a struggle between beauty and despair, highlighting a sense of humiliation in the face of life's challenges.
In this quote, Theodore Roethke contrasts the vibrant beauty of blooming flowers with his own feeling of degradation, which symbolizes a deeper existential struggle. He feels trapped in an unpleasant reality, represented by the fetor of weeds, while everything beautiful exists above him, illustrating a profound sense of isolation and the struggle to appreciate beauty amidst personal hardship.
Themes
IndignityBeautyStruggleNatureDespairExistence
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be a powerful reminder during a motivational speech about resilience in the face of adversity.
More from Theodore Roethke
All quotes →My Papa's Waltz: The whiskey on your breath Could make a small boy dizzy; But I hung on like death: Such waltzing was not easy. We romped until the pans Slid from the kitchen shelf; My mother's countenance Could not unfrown itself. The hand that held my wrist Was battered on one knuckle; At every step you missed My right ear scraped a buckle. You beat time on my head With a palm caked hard by dirt, Then waltzed me off to bed Still clinging to your shirt.
Theodore RoethkeRead
Art is our defense against hysteria and death.
Theodore RoethkeRead
By daily dying, I have come to be.
Theodore RoethkeRead
The stones were sharp, The wind came at my back; Walking along the highway, Mincing like a cat.
Theodore RoethkeRead
The self says, I am; The heart says, I am less; The spirit says, you are Nothing.
Theodore RoethkeRead
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