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The Black Riders and Other Lines
Stephen Crane
Top 10 Best Quotes
“In the Desert In the desert I saw a creature, naked, bestial, Who, squatting upon the ground, Held his heart in his hands, And ate of it. I said, “Is it good, friend?” “It is bitter—bitter,” he answered; “But I like it “Because it is bitter, “And because it is my heart.”
“A learned man came to me once. He said, "I know the way, -- come." And I was overjoyed at this. Together we hastened. Soon, too soon, were we Where my eyes were useless, And I knew not the ways of my feet. I clung to the hand of my friend; But at last he cried, "I am lost.”
“Many workmen Built a huge ball of masonry Upon a mountain-top. Then they went to the valley below, And turned to behold their work. "It is grand," they said; They loved the thing. Of a sudden, it moved: It came upon them swiftly; It crushed them all to blood. But some had opportunity to squeal.”
“IF LOVE LOVES, THERE IS NO WORLD NOR WORD. ALL IS LOST SAVE THOUGHT OF LOVE AND PLACE TO DREAM.”
“I WALKED IN A DESERT. AND I CRIED, 'AH, GOD, TAKE ME FROM THIS PLACE!' A VOICE SAID, 'IT IS NO DESERT.' I CRIED, 'WELL, BUT— THE SAND, THE HEAT, THE VACANT HORIZON.' A VOICE SAID, 'IT IS NO DESERT.”
“many red devils ran from my heart and out upon the page, they were so tiny the pen could mash them. And many struggled in the ink. It was strange to write in this red much of things from my heart.”
“ONCE, I KNEW A FINE SONG, —IT IS TRUE, BELIEVE ME,— IT WAS ALL OF BIRDS, AND I HELD THEM IN A BASKET; WHEN I OPENED THE WICKET, HEAVENS! THEY ALL FLEW AWAY. I CRIED, ’COME BACK, LITTLE THOUGHTS!’ BUT THEY ONLY LAUGHED. THEY FLEW ON UNTIL THEY WERE AS SAND THROWN BETWEEN ME AND THE SKY.”
“Many red devils ran from my heart And out upon the page, They were so tiny The pen could mash them. And many struggled in the ink. It was strange To write in this red muck Of things from my heart.”
“IF LOVE LOVES, THERE IS NO WORLD”
“I SAW A MAN PURSUING THE HORIZON; ROUND AND ROUND THEY SPED. I WAS DISTURBED AT THIS; I ACCOSTED THE MAN. "IT IS FUTILE," I SAID, "YOU CAN NEVER"— "YOU LIE," HE CRIED, AND RAN ON.”
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Book Keywords:
trust, antimaterialism, nature, loss, god, bitterness, idealism, hope, power-of-thought, music, landscape, poetry, heart