The melancholy river bears us on. When the moon comes through the trailing willow boughs, I see your face, I hear your voice and the bird singing as we pass the osier bed. What are you whispering? Sorrow, sorrow. Joy, joy. Woven together, like reeds in moonlight.

Summary

This quote speaks to the transient yet profound nature of our emotions and experiences. As the speaker is carried along the melancholy river, reminiscing about their loved one, they are swept away by a bittersweet mixture of sorrow and joy. The moonlight illuminates their memories, bringing back the face, voice, and even the emotions associated with their beloved. The whispered words encapsulate the contradictory emotions felt in life - the intertwining of sorrow and joy, just like the reeds bathed in the ethereal moonlight.

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