A man is either free or he is not. There cannot be any apprenticeship for freedom.
Amiri BarakaRead
And now each night, I count the stars. And each night I get the same number. And when the stars won't come to be counted, I count the holes they leave.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects a deeper contemplation on existence and absence, illustrating how one finds meaning even in emptiness.
Amiri Baraka's quote captures the essence of how one engages with the universe by counting the stars, symbolizing hope and wonder. When those stars are absent, the act of counting the holes they leave behind signifies an acknowledgment of loss and the importance of finding value in what remains, revealing a philosophical perspective on existence and perception.
Themes
StarsExistenceMeaningAbsenceCounting
In practice
Example use cases
During a reflective night gathering, one could share this quote to spark a discussion about finding meaning in life.
More from Amiri Baraka
All quotes →what is lost because it is most precious what is most precious because it is lost
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I am inside someone who hates me. I look out from his eyes.
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The attempt to divide art and politics is a bourgeois which says good poetry, art, cannot be political, but since everything is … political, even an artist or work that claims not to have any politics is making a political statement by that act.
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I am inside someone_x000D_ who hates me. I look_x000D_ out from his eyes. Smell_x000D_ what fouled tunes come in_x000D_ to his breath. Love his_x000D_ wretched women.
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Poetry is music, and nothing but music. Words with musical emphasis.
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