The Book of Jade · Chapter
Remember explained
A somber admonition to those who revel in the joy and light of the skies, reminding them that night and sorrow inevitably follow delight, and that there exists a hidden, joyless place beyond the sun's reach.
What happens
A somber admonition to those who revel in the joy and light of the skies, reminding them that night and sorrow inevitably follow delight, and that there exists a hidden, joyless place beyond the sun's reach.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
This is the dramatic climax because the speaker reaches the absolute nadir of despair—identifying himself as l…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Death and Decay
The poem emphasizes the inevitable arrival of night and sorrow after delight, suggesting mortality and the decay of joy.
- Vanity of Human Endeavor
The fleeting nature of delight and the reference to days 'as sands that run' underscore the futility of earthly pleasures.
Characters to notice
- Unknown
The speaker delivers a warning to those who delight in the skies, urging them to remember the coming night and sorrow.
Key passages
“Remember, ye whom the skies delight, Whose faces flame with the falling sun, That after sunset cometh the night, That sorrow followeth all delight, When love, and lover, and lov’d are one.”
Recall, you who take joy in the heavens, whose faces glow in the sunset, that night comes after the sun sets, and sorrow follows every pleasure, even when love unites all.
The speaker warns that joy is transient and inevitably followed by sorrow and darkness.
“One house there is unknown of delight, One garden is there belov’d of none, One place there is unseen of the sun, Remember, ye whom the skies delight.”
There exists a house devoid of joy, a garden unloved by anyone, a place the sun never sees—remember this, you who delight in the skies.
The poem concludes with a stark image of a hidden, desolate place, reinforcing the theme of inevitable decay.
