DEATH QUOTES XVI

quotations about death

Even as a child I was fascinated by death, not in a spiritual sense, but in an aesthetic one. A hamster or guinea pig would pass away, and, after burying the body, I'd dig it back up: over and over, until all that remained was a shoddy pelt. It earned me a certain reputation, especially when I moved on to other people's pets. "Igor," they called me. "Wicked, spooky." But I think my interest was actually fairly common, at least among adolescent boys. At that age, death is something that happens only to animals and grandparents, and studying it is like a science project.

DAVID SEDARIS

When You Are Engulfed in Flames


Feeling funny in my mind, Lord
I believe I'm fixing to die
Well, I don't mind dying
But I hate to leave my children crying
Well, I look over yonder to that burying ground
Look over yonder to that burying ground
Sure seems lonesome, Lord, when the sun goes down

BOB DYLAN

"Fixin' To Die"


To those who view the voyage of life from the port of departure the bark that has accomplished any considerable distance appears already in close approach to the farther shore.

AMBROSE BIERCE

"The Death of Halpin Frayser"


There's really nothing quite like someone's wanting you dead to make you want to go on living.

ROGER ZELAZNY

This Immortal


In statistics, what disappears behind rows of numbers is death.

GUNTER GRASS

Crabwalk


It was mad, but I just couldn't shake it. I was Death, Destroyer of Life, and all I wanted was a cottage by a stream, a pot of hot soup on the stove, and someone to love me.

GEORGE PENDLE

Death: A Life


Death is release, if you've lived all right.

EDWARD ALBEE

Seascape


When a great life sets it leaves an afterglow on the sky far into the night.

AUSTIN O'MALLEY

Keystones of Thought


Death tripped down the corridor, changing step, struck out here and there, danced pirouettes; often I felt his breath on my face when he was miles away; often I fell asleep and dreamed while he stood leaning over my bed.

ARTHUR KOESTLER

Dialogue with Death


In literature and in art, alike, this gloomy fashion of regarding Death has been characteristic of Christianity. Death has been painted as a skeleton grasping a scythe, a grinning skull, a threatening figure with terrible face and uplifted dart, a bony scarecrow shaking an hour-glass--all that could alarm and repel has been gathered round this rightly-named King of Terrors.

ANNIE WOOD BESANT

Death--and After


Death has a hundred hands and walks by a thousand ways.

T.S. ELIOT

Murder in the Cathedral


Death is a fisherman, the world we see
His fish-pond is, and we the fishes be;
His net some general sickness; howe'er he
Is not so kind as other fishers be;
For if they take one of the smaller fry,
They throw him in again, he shall not die:
But death is sure to kill all he can get,
And all is fish with him that comes to net.

BENJAMIN FRANKLIN

Poor Richard's Almanack, 1733


As death, when we come to consider it closely, is the true goal of our existence, I have formed during the last few years such close relationships with this best and truest friend of mankind that death's image is not only no longer terrifying to me, but is indeed very soothing and consoling, and I thank my God for graciously granting me the opportunity...of learning that death is the key which unlocks the door to our true happiness. I never lie down at night without reflecting that --- young as I am -- I may not live to see another day. Yet no one of all my acquaintances could say that in company I am morose or disgruntled.

WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART

letter to Leopold Mozart, Apr. 4, 1787


It is necessary to meditate early, and often, on the art of dying to succeed later in doing it properly just once.

UMBERTO ECO

The Island of the Day Before


My soul defense against the natural horror which death inspires, is to love beyond it.

MADAME SWETCHINE

"Thoughts", The Writings of Madame Swetchine


Scientists have proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that there is life after death -- though they say it's virtually impossible to get decent Chinese food.

DAVID LETTERMAN

Late Show with David Letterman, October 13, 2014


When you look at a corpse you can always sense your own breath better.

ZONA GALE

"Miggy"


Life is hard, but death is even harder.

PETER KREEFT

Between Heaven and Hell


We sometimes congratulate ourselves at the moment of waking from a troubled dream: it may be so the moment after death.

NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE

American Note-Books, 1836


When I read obituaries I always note the age of the deceased. Automatically I relate this figure to my own age. Four years to go, I think. Nine more years. Two years and I'm dead. The power of numbers is never more evident than when we use them to speculate on the time of our dying.

DON DELILLO

White Noise