Heart, we will forget him, You and I, tonight! You must forget the warmth he gave, I will forget the light.
Emily DickinsonRead
Old age comes on suddenly, and not gradually as is thought.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Old age can arrive unexpectedly rather than as a slow process.
Emily Dickinson reflects on the nature of aging, suggesting that the experience of becoming old is often more abrupt than people realize. This quote challenges the common perception that aging is a gradual transition, emphasizing the suddenness with which time can alter our lives and experiences.
Themes
AgingOld AgeTimeLifePerception
In practice
Example use cases
During a speech at a retirement party, sharing this quote reflects on how life can change quickly.
More from Emily Dickinson
All quotes βI held a jewel in my fingers And went to sleep. The day was warm, and winds were prosy; I said: "'T will keep." I woke and chid my honest fingers,β The gem was gone; And now an amethyst remembrance Is all I own.
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I'll tell you how the sun rose, a ribbon at a time. The steeples swam in amethyst, The news like squirrels ran. The hills untied their bonnets, The bobolinks begun. Then I said softly to myself, "That must have been the sun!
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My best Acquaintances are those With Whom I spoke no Word
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This is the Hour of Lead- Remembered, if outlived, As freezing persons, recollect the Snow- First-Chill-then Stupor- then the letting go---
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Luck is not chance, it's toil; fortune's expensive smile is earned.
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