Withdrawn and runinous it brooods in umbra: the immemorial masonry: the towers, the tracks. Is all corroding? No. Through an avenue off spires a zephyr floats; a bird whistles; a freshet bears away from a choked river.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Old stone ruins still feel alive with wind, birds, and water.
- In plain terms
- Even ruins have life signs.
- What can you take from it?
- Look for life signs in old or ruined places.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What survives in ruins?
- How do places keep life?
Another view
It assumes decay always contains life signs equally.
More from Mervyn Peake
This tower, patched unevenly with black ivy, arose like a mutilated finger from among the fists of knuckled masonry and pointed blasphemously at heaven.
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