He went up on the mountain beside the giant stone They knew he was insane so they left him alone He'd given up enlisting help for there was no one else He spent his days devising ways to stop the rock himself One night while he was working building braces on the ledge The ground began to rumble the rock trembled on the edge.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- A man tries to stop a falling rock alone on a mountain after being abandoned.
- In plain terms
- A man tries to stop a big rock from falling alone on a mountain.
- What can you take from it?
- Isolation forces individuals to bear impossible burdens.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What burdens do you carry alone?
- Who helps you when things fall?
Another view
The story is allegorical and requires interpretation to connect to real life.
More from Harry Chapin
We've more important studies than your fantasies and fears You know that rock's been perched up there for a hundred thousand years.
Permalink to quote #50 He ran under it with one last hope that he could add a prop And as he disappeared the rock came to a stop.
Permalink to quote #52 'The rock is gonna fall on us,' he stood and told the class The professor put his chalk down and peered out through his glasses But he went on and said; 'I've …
Permalink to quote #49
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