Famous quotes containing the words swan song, thomas, chatterton, swan and/or song:
“Old age cannot be cured. An epoch or a civilization cannot be prevented from breathing its last. A natural process that happens to all flesh and all human manifestations cannot be arrested. You can only wring your hands and utter a beautiful swan song.”
—Renee Winegarten (b. 1922)
“Shall gods be said to thump the clouds
When clouds are cursed by thunder,
Be said to weep when weather howls?”
—Dylan Thomas (1914–1953)
“Liste! now the thunder’s rattling clymmynge sound
Cheves slowlie on, and then embollen clangs,
Shakes the hie spyre, and losst, dispended, drown’d,
Still on the gallard eare of terroure hanges;
The windes are up; the lofty elmen swanges;
Again the levynne and the thunder poures,
And the full cloudes are braste attenes in stonen showers.”
—Thomas Chatterton (1752–1770)
“The snow, which doth the top of Pindus strew,
Did never whiter shew,
Nor Jove himself, when he a swan would be
For love of Leda, whiter did appear:”
—Edmund Spenser (1552?–1599)
“Death could drop from the dark
As easily as song—
But song only dropped,”
—Isaac Rosenberg (1890–1918)