“Friends: not one. Just a few acquaintances who imagine they feel something for me and who might be sorry if a train ran over me and the funeral was on a rainy day.”

—  Fernando Pessoa, book The Book of Disquiet

Source: The Book of Disquiet

Last update Jan. 12, 2026. History

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

Do you have more details about the quote "Friends: not one. Just a few acquaintances who imagine they feel something for me and who might be sorry if a train ran…" by Fernando Pessoa?
Fernando Pessoa photo
Fernando Pessoa288
Portuguese poet, writer, literary critic, translator, publi… 1888–1935

Related quotes

Garrison Keillor photo

“They say such nice things about people at their funerals that it makes me sad to realize that I'm going to miss mine by just a few days.”

Garrison Keillor (1942) American radio host and writer

Source: Good Poems for Hard Times

Carrie Vaughn photo

“You're lucky to have a friend who will kill for you."

So. I once had a friend who died for me, and now one who killed for me. Why didn't I feel lucky?”

Carrie Vaughn (1973) American writer

Source: Kitty Takes a Holiday

Mitch Albom photo

“I thought about all the people I knew who spent many of their waking hours feeling sorry for themselves. How useful it would be to put a daily limit on self-pity. Just a few tearful minutes, then on with the day.”

Mitch Albom Tuesdays with Morrie

Source: Tuesdays with Morrie

Mary Gaitskill photo

“She brightened. "Last week I ran a personal ad in the Guardian. I answered a few too. I'm not looking for sex; I feel too vulnerable for that. I just want somebody to hurt me and humiliate me."”

Mary Gaitskill (1954) Novelist, short story writer, essayist

"The Wrong Thing: Stuff" in Because They Wanted To, p. 244, Simon & Schuster, 1997.

Anne Sexton photo

“Only my books anoint me,
and a few friends,
those who reach into my veins.”

Anne Sexton (1928–1974) poet from the United States

Source: The Complete Poems

Anne Brontë photo

“I imagine, there must be only a very, very few men in the world that I should like to marry; and of those few, it is ten to one I may never be acquainted with one; or if I should, it is twenty to one he may not happen to be single, or to take a fancy to me.”

Anne Brontë book The Tenant of Wildfell Hall

Source: The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (1848), Ch. XVI : The Warning of Experience; Helen to Mrs. Maxwell

Henry Fielding photo

“For I hope my Friends will pardon me, when I declare, I know none of them without a Fault; and I should be sorry if I could imagine, I had any Friend who could not see mine. Forgiveness, of this Kind, we give and demand in Turn.”

Henry Fielding book The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling

Source: The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling

Magnus Carlsen photo

“I feel sorry for players who are always lying awake at night, brooding over their games.”

Magnus Carlsen (1990) Norwegian chess player

ChessBase.com - Magnus Carlsen on his chess career, 15 March 2010 http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=6187

Cassandra Clare photo

“Will: "You are not really dying, are you?"

Jem: "So they tell me."

Will: "I am sorry."

Jem: "No. Don’t be ordinary like that. Don’t say you’re sorry. Say you’ll train with me."

Will: "I’ll train with you.”

Cassandra Clare (1973) American author

Waylon Jennings photo

“Oh rainy day woman,
I've never seem to see you for the good times or the sunshine.
You have been a friend of mine, rainy day woman.”

Waylon Jennings (1937–2002) American country music singer, songwriter, and musician

Rainy Day Woman, from The Ramblin' Man (1974).
Song lyrics

Related topics