My heart in the East But the rest of me far in the West– How can I savor this life, even taste what I eat? How, in the bonds of the Moor, Zion chained to the Cross, Can I do what I’ve vowed to and must? Gladly I’d leave All the best of grand Spain For one glimpse of the ruined Shrine’s dust. Yehuda HaLevi
About This Quote

This poem is about a soldier in World War I who is stationed in France. This soldier, who was stationed in France and was in love with a woman back in his home country, is described as having multiple hearts: one for the East and one for the West. The East would be his homeland and he would miss it dearly. However, the West would be the place where he is stationed and he would miss that, too.

Some Similar Quotes
  1. Perhaps the truth depends on a walk around the lake. - Wallace Stevens
  2. To be great, be whole; Exclude nothing, exaggerate nothing that is not you. Be whole in everything. Put all you are Into the smallest thing you do. So, in each lake, the moon shines with splendor Because it blooms up above. - Fernando Pessoa
  3. The poet's job is to put into words those feelings we all have that are so deep, so important, and yet so difficult to name, to tell the truth in such a beautiful way, that people cannot live without it. - Jane Kenyon
  4. Truth is a friendthat asks for loyaltyand acceptancethen it enters our heartsdissolving the boundariesfreeing us from lonliness - Nirmala
  5. Trees are poems the earth writes upon the sky, We fell them down and turn them into paper, That we may record our emptiness. - Kahlil Gibran
More Quotes By Yehuda HaLevi
  1. My heart in the East But the rest of me far in the West– How can I savor this life, even taste what I eat? How, in the bonds of the Moor, Zion chained to the Cross, Can I do what I’ve vowed to and...
  2. One grey hair appeared on my head I plucked it out with my hand. It answered me: "You have prevailed against me alone -What will you do when my army comes after me?
Related Topics