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Somewhere beyond the curtain Of distorting days Lives that lonely thing That shone before these eyes Targeted, trod like Spring.
William Butler Yeats
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Interpretation

What this quote means

The quote reflects on the transient nature of life and the enduring essence of beauty and hope that remains, even in difficult times.

William Butler Yeats' quote speaks to the idea of an underlying truth or beauty that exists beyond the confusion and hardships of daily life. It suggests that despite the challenges and distortions that we face, there is a profound aspect of existence that can still inspire and uplift us, reminiscent of the freshness and promise of Spring. This longing for something constant and beautiful is an inherent part of the human experience.

Themes

BeautyLifeHopeEnduranceNature

In practice

Example use cases

This quote could inspire a speech about overcoming obstacles in a personal development seminar.

More from William Butler Yeats

If a poet interprets a poem of his own he limits its suggestibility.
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How far away the stars seem, and how far is our first kiss, and ah, how old my heart.
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For he would be thinking of love Till the stars had run away And the shadows eaten the moon.
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Love is created and preserved by intellectual analysis, for we love only that which is unique, and it belongs to contemplation, not to action, for we would not change that which we love.
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