Never such innocence, Never before or since, As changed itself to past Without a word--the men Leaving the gardens tidy, The thousands of marriages Lasting a little while longer: Never such innocence again.
Philip LarkinRead
We should be careful / Of each other, we should be kind / While there is still time.
Interpretation
The quote emphasizes the importance of kindness and care for one another while we have the opportunity.
Philip Larkin's quote serves as a poignant reminder of the transient nature of life and the necessity of treating each other with kindness. It encourages us to foster compassion and understanding among individuals, suggesting that we should not take our time with others for granted and must act with empathy while we still can.
In practice
During a speech on community service, this quote can be used to highlight the importance of kindness.
Never such innocence, Never before or since, As changed itself to past Without a word--the men Leaving the gardens tidy, The thousands of marriages Lasting a little while longer: Never such innocence again.
Uncontradicting solitude Supports me on its giant palm; And like a sea-anemone Or simple snail, there cautiously Unfolds, emerges, what I am.
Saki says that youth is like hors d'oeuvres: you are so busy thinking of the next courses you don't notice it. When you've had them, you wish you'd had more hors d'oeuvres.
Above all, though, children are linked to adults by the simple fact that they are in process of turning into them. For this they may be forgiven much. Children are bound to be inferior to adults, or there is no incentive to grow up.
Originality is being different from oneself, not others.
I can't understand these chaps who go round American universities explaining how they write poems: It's like going round explaining how you sleep with your wife.
Life cannot be without relationship, but we have made it so agonizing and hideous by basing it on personal and possessive love. Can one love and yet not possess? You will find the true answer not in escape, ideals, beliefs but through the understanding of the causes of dependence and possessiveness.
Trust is a product of vulnerability that grows over time and requires work, attention, and full engagement.
The names of persons and living creatures demand respect, because when we speak to them we touch their heart and become a part of thier life force.
I find it really offensive when people say that the emotional experiences of teenagers are less real or less important than those of adults. I am an adult, and I used to be a teenager, and so I can tell you with some authority that my feelings then were as real as my feelings are now.
... fighting for gay marriage generally involves lying about what we are going to do with marriage when we get there-because we lie that the institution of marriage is not going to change, and that is a lie. The institution of marriage is going to change, and it should change. And again, I don't think it should exist.
I am imperfect in a million ways, but I always thought I was the kind of woman, the kind of wife to whom a husband would be faithful.
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