Heart, we will forget him, You and I, tonight! You must forget the warmth he gave, I will forget the light.
Emily DickinsonRead
I held a jewel in my fingers And went to sleep. The day was warm, and winds were prosy; I said: "'T will keep." I woke and chid my honest fingers,— The gem was gone; And now an amethyst remembrance Is all I own.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects on the fleeting nature of beauty and possessions, emphasizing the importance of treasuring moments that may slip away.
In this quote, Emily Dickinson captures the essence of impermanence through a personal narrative about holding a precious jewel, only to lose it upon waking. The imagery of the warm day and the 'prosy' winds evokes a sense of tranquility, contrasting with the sorrow of loss. The final sentiment, a mere 'amethyst remembrance,' signifies that while tangible treasures may vanish, the memories associated with them remain, urging us to appreciate what we have in the present moment.
Themes
LossMemoryImpermanenceBeautyTreasure
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be shared during a reflective moment at a gathering about valuing experiences over material possessions.
More from Emily Dickinson
All quotes →I'll tell you how the sun rose, a ribbon at a time. The steeples swam in amethyst, The news like squirrels ran. The hills untied their bonnets, The bobolinks begun. Then I said softly to myself, "That must have been the sun!
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My best Acquaintances are those With Whom I spoke no Word
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This is the Hour of Lead- Remembered, if outlived, As freezing persons, recollect the Snow- First-Chill-then Stupor- then the letting go---
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Luck is not chance, it's toil; fortune's expensive smile is earned.
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God is not so wary as we, else He would give us no friends, lest we forget Him! The charms of the heaven in the bush are superseded, I fear, by the heaven in the hand, occasionally.
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