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 stones were sharp, The wind came at my back; Walking along the highway, Mincing like a cat.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The speaker describes a journey through a challenging environment with a sense of grace and agility.
This quote by Theodore Roethke captures the juxtaposition of hardship and the beauty of movement. The 'sharp stones' represent life's obstacles, while the 'wind at my back' symbolizes support and encouragement, allowing the speaker to navigate the difficult path with the grace of a cat, suggesting resilience and adaptability in the face of challenges.
Themes
JourneyResilienceNatureObstaclesGrace
In practice
Example use cases
In a motivational speech about overcoming life's challenges.
More from Theodore Roethke
All quotes βMy 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
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.
Theodore RoethkeRead
By daily dying, I have come to be.
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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