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“Full many a gem of purest ray serene
The dark unfathomed caves of ocean bear:
Full many a flower is born to blush unseen
And waste its sweetness on the desert air"
A good many flowers bloom and fade away in deserted places, seen by no one.
In its context in Thomas Gray's "Elegy" it is actually a metaphor for common folk who do heroic things that are never reported in the news or recorded in history. Like a precious stone unmined at the bottom of the ocean or a beautiful flower blooming in the deep woods, their work may not be seen or known, but it is nevertheless heroic. Rubies and roses are beautiful, Gray would say, whether anyone ever sees them or not.”
―
The dark unfathomed caves of ocean bear:
Full many a flower is born to blush unseen
And waste its sweetness on the desert air"
A good many flowers bloom and fade away in deserted places, seen by no one.
In its context in Thomas Gray's "Elegy" it is actually a metaphor for common folk who do heroic things that are never reported in the news or recorded in history. Like a precious stone unmined at the bottom of the ocean or a beautiful flower blooming in the deep woods, their work may not be seen or known, but it is nevertheless heroic. Rubies and roses are beautiful, Gray would say, whether anyone ever sees them or not.”
―
Vikram’s 2025 Year in Books
Take a look at Vikram’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.
2,285 books
|
109 friends
71 books
|
343 friends
803 books
|
98 friends
790 books
|
77 friends
1,177 books
|
116 friends
1,220 books
|
67 friends
1,596 books
|
188 friends
571 books
|
121 friends
More friends…
Favorite Genres
Biography, Business, Ebooks, History, Humor and Comedy, Memoir, Music, Non-fiction, Philosophy, Poetry, Psychology, Religion, Science, Self help, Spirituality, and Travel
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Lists liked by Vikram
