Since the printing press came into being, poetry has ceased to be the delight of the whole community of man; it has become the amusement and delight of the few.
John MasefieldRead
What am I, Life? A thing of watery salt Held in cohesion by unresting cells, Which work they know not why, which never halt, Myself unwitting where their Master dwells?
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects on the essence of life as a complex, organic process driven by unknown forces.
John Masefield's quote delves into the nature of existence, presenting life as a fragile construct made up of cells that function independently and unknowingly. It raises existential questions about the purpose of life and the deeper forces that guide our existence, suggesting a sense of wonder and mystery surrounding the human condition.
Themes
LifeExistenceMysteryCellsPurpose
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could be used in a philosophical discussion about the nature of existence and consciousness.
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Commonplace people dislike tragedy because they dare not suffer and cannot exult.
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I must down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life, To the gull's way and the whale's way where the wind's like a whetted knife And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow rover, And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick's over.
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Poetry is a mixture of common sense, which not all have, with an uncommon sense, which very few have.
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Once in a century a man may be ruined or made insufferable by praise. But surely once in a minute something generous dies for want of it.
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