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It soared, a bird, it held its flight, a swift pure cry, soar silver orb it leaped serene, speeding, sustained, to come, don't spin it out too long long breath he breath long life, soaring high, high resplendent, aflame, crowned, high in the effulgence symbolistic, high, of the ethereal bosom, high, of the high vast irradiation everywhere all soaring all around about the all, the endlessnessnessness... (271)

James Joyce#37

PoetryAestheticsAweImagery

About this quote

What does it mean?
A wildly vivid, poetic description of soaring, light, and endlessness, using repetitive superlatives and abstract imagery.
In plain terms
It paints an ecstatic, endless flight of a bright orb.
What can you take from it?
Use vivid imagery to evoke awe.

Where it applies

  • poetry composition
  • creative writing

Putting it to work

  • experiment with repetitive cadence
  • focus on sensory detail

Questions to consider

  • When does vividness become excess?
  • How can you balance clarity with grandeur?

Another view

The overuse of adjectives can obscure meaning.

More from James Joyce

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  2. The heaventree of stars hung with humid nightblue fruit. (683)

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  3. Yes, the newspapers were right: snow was general all over Ireland. It was falling on every part of the dark central plain, on the treeless hills, falling softl…

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