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
A mind too active is no mind at all.
Interpretation
What this quote means
An overly active mind can lead to confusion and prevent genuine thinking.
The quote by Theodore Roethke suggests that when the mind is constantly occupied with excessive thoughts and distractions, it loses its capacity for clear and focused thinking. A state of mental activity that is too frenetic can result in a lack of true understanding and insight, highlighting the importance of mental clarity and focus.
Themes
MindActivityThoughtsClarityFocus
In practice
Example use cases
In a meditation class discussing the importance of a calm mind.
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 stones were sharp, The wind came at my back; Walking along the highway, Mincing like a cat.
Theodore RoethkeRead
Similar quotes
Tomorrow is the day when idlers work, and fools reform, and mortal men lay hold on heaven.
PersiusRead
Believe those who seek the truth, doubt those who find it; doubt all, but do not doubt yourself.
Andre GideRead
Every vocation becomes more agreeable when united with devotion.
Saint Francis De SalesRead
It is safer to offend certain men than it is to oblige them; for as proof that they owe nothing they seek recourse in hatred.
Seneca The YoungerRead
Memory has always fascinated me. Think of it. You can recall at will your first day in high school, your first date, your first love.
Eric KandelRead
The gateways to wisdom and learning are always open, and more and more I am choosing to walk through them. Barriers, blocks, obstacles, and problems are personal teachers giving me the opportunity to move out of the past and into the Totality of Possibilities.
Louise HayRead