There is no feeling, except the extremes of fear and grief, that does not find relief in music.
T. S. EliotRead
And indeed there will be time for the yellow smoke that slides along the street rubbing its back upon the window-panes; there will be time , there will be time to prepare a face to meet the faces that you meet; there will be time to murder and create, and time for all the works and days of hands that lift and drop a question on your plate; time for you and time for me, and time yet for a hundred indecisions, and for a hundred visions and revisions, before the taking of toast and tea.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects on the nature of time and the opportunities it presents for reflection, preparation, and decision-making.
T. S. Eliot's quote emphasizes the abundance of time available in life for various activities and experiences, including contemplation, social interactions, and creative endeavors. It suggests that while we face indecisiveness and the weight of choices, there is still ample opportunity to reflect and make revisions before moving forward, portraying time as both a resource and a constraint in the quest for meaning.
Themes
TimeReflectionDecisionsCreationIndecision
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could be used in a graduation speech to highlight the importance of using time wisely.
More from T. S. Eliot
All quotes →Half of the harm that is done in this world is due to people who want to feel important. They don't mean to do harm. But the harm does not interest them.
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I am an Anglo-Catholic in religion, a classicist in literature and a royalist in politics.
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If you aren't in over your head, how do you know how tall you are?
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For I have known them all already, known them all— Have known the evenings, mornings, afternoons, I have measured out my life with coffee spoons.
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In the faint moonlight, the grass is singing
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