Birds

Explore 8 quotes about Birds

No bird soars too high if he soars with his own wings.

William Blake

The Marriage of Heaven and Hell

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Topic

Elegance of nature Birds Nature Limitations and constraints Human potential

Author

William Blake

Source

The Marriage of Heaven and Hell

Medium

Poem

Genre

Philosophical literature

Statement Type

Proverbs, aphorisms and adages Metaphor, analogy and simile

Language

English

Time

1793 1790s 18th century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Blake, William. "The Argument." The Marriage of Heaven and Hell. c. 1790.

Current Citation

Blake, William. "The Marriage of Heaven and Hell." The Complete Poetry and Prose of William Blake, edited by David V. Erdman. University of California Press, 2008.

There is a legend about a bird which sings just once in its life, more sweetly than any other creature on the face of the earth. From the moment it leaves the nest it searches for a thorn tree, and does not rest until it has found one. Then, singing among the savage branches, it impales itself upon the longest, sharpest spine. And, dying, it rises above its own agony to out-carol the lark and the nightingale. One superlative song, existence the price. But the whole world stills to listen, and God in His heaven smiles. For the best is only bought at the cost of great pain.

Colleen McCullough

The Thorn Birds

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Topic

Bird songs Birds

Author

Colleen McCullough

Source

The Thorn Birds

Medium

Novel

Statement Type

Paradox

Language

English

Time

1977 1970s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

McCullough, Colleen. The Thorn Birds. Harper & Row, 1977, epigraph.

Hear that lonesome whippoorwill?
He sounds too blue to fly.
The midnight train is whinin' low,
I'm so lonesome I could cry.

Hank Williams

I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry

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Topic

Loneliness Bird songs Birds

Speaker

Hank Williams

Source

I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry

Medium

Song

Genre

Country music

Language

English

Time

1949 1940s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Williams, Hank. I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry. MGM Records, 1949.

A bird does not sing
because he has an answer.
He sings
because he has a song.

Joan Walsh Anglund

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Topic

Bird songs Birds Self-expression

Author

Joan Walsh Anglund

Language

English

Time

1967 1960s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Anglund, Joan Walsh. A Cup of Sun: A Book of Poems. Harcourt, Brace, & World, 1967.

Will you not allow that I have as much of the spirit of prophecy in me as the swans? For they, when they perceive that they must die, having sung all their life long, do then sing more lustily than ever, rejoicing in the thought that they are going to the god they serve.

Socrates

Quoted in Phaedo, by Plato

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Topic

Facing death Swans Birds Animals

Speaker

Socrates

Author

Plato

Source

Phaedo

Medium

Philosophical dialogue Dialogue

Genre

Philosophical literature

Language

Greek

Time

360 BC 360s BC 4th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Socrates. Quoted in Φαίδων [Phaedo], written by Plato. c. 360 BC.

Current Citation

Socrates. Quoted in "Phaedo." Plato: Five Dialogues: Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, Meno, Phaedo, written by Plato, translated by G. M. A. Grube and John M. Cooper. Hackett Publishing, 2002.

When a pair of magpies fly together
They do not envy the pair of phoenixes.

Lady Ho

More information about this quote

Topic

Birds Contentment Satisfaction

Author

Lady Ho

Source

A Song of Magpies

Medium

Poem

Statement Type

Metaphor, analogy and simile

Language

Chinese

Time

300 BC 300s BC 4th century BC

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Lady Ho. A Song of Magpies. c. 300 BC.

Current Citation

Lady Ho. "A Song of Magpies." Women Poets of China, edited by Kenneth Rexroth and Ling Zhong. New Directions Publishing, 1982.

We walked up to the house and stood some minutes watching the swallows that flew about restlessly, and flung their shadows upon the sunbright walls of the old building; the shadows glanced and twinkled, interchanged and crossed each other, expanded and shrunk up, appeared and disappeared every instant.

Dorothy Wordsworth

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Topic

Birds Nature scene

Author

Dorothy Wordsworth

Medium

Personal journal

Language

English

Time

1803 1800s 19th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Wordsworth, Dorothy. Journal Entry. 16 Aug. 1803.

Current Citation

Wordsworth, Dorothy. "Journal entry 16 Aug. 1803." Recollections of a Tour Made in Scotland. Yale University Press, 1997.

A poem should be wordless
As the flight of birds.

Archibald MacLeish

More information about this quote

Topic

Birds Poetry

Author

Archibald MacLeish

Source

Ars Poetica (MacLeish)

Medium

Poem

Language

English

Time

1926 1920s 20th century

Authentication Score 1

Original Citation

MacLeish, Archibald. "Ars Poetica." Poetry: A Magazine of Verse, June 1926.

Current Citation

MacLeish, Archibald. "Ars Poetica." From Collected Poems 1917 to 1982. Mariner Books, 1985.