--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In vain have oceans been squandered on…" description: "\"In vain have oceans been squandered on you, in vain the sun, wonderfully seen through Whitman’s eyes. You have used up the years and they have used up ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a97/anonymous-1_eye_in-vain-have-oceans-been-squandered-on-y_2509597.jpg" --- # In vain have oceans been squandered on you, in vain the… ![“In vain have oceans been squandered on you, in vain the sun, wonderfully seen through Whitman’s eyes. You have used up the years and they have used up you, and still, and still, you have not written the poem.” quote by Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a97/anonymous-1_eye_in-vain-have-oceans-been-squandered-on-y_2509597.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a97/anonymous-1_eye_in-vain-have-oceans-been-squandered-on-y_2509597.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a97/anonymous-1_eye_in-vain-have-oceans-been-squandered-on-y_2509597.jpg) > “In vain have oceans been squandered on you, in vain the sun, wonderfully seen through Whitman’s eyes. You have used up the years and they have used up you, and still, and still, you have not written the poem.” [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker laments wasted time and missed opportunity, urging creation before life ends. **In simple terms:** Time wasted, no poem written yet. Key Takeaway Act now to create before it's too late. Themes time creativity mortality Mood reflective urgent Type poetic motivational When to use this quote - artistic pursuit - personal deadlines - legacy building Key Concepts existential urgency regret Questions to Reflect On - What masterpiece could you write today? - How does recognizing wasted time motivate you? A Different Perspective Limited by unknown author and source, may lack context. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Eye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eye/) [Ocean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ocean/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [Seen Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seen-whitman-1142433/) [Stills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stills/) [Sun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sun/) [Used](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/used/) [Vain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vain/) [Vain Oceans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vain-oceans-1142435/) [Vain Sun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vain-sun-1142436/) [Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whitman/) [Written Poem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/written-poem-1142434/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) ## Related quotes > [I think Whitman more than any other poet possessed the gift of revealing to others the beauty of everything around us, the beauty of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-think-whitman-more-than-any-other-poet-possessed-the-gift-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“But something special happened to American poetry in the 19th century when Walt Whitman broke with more traditional English poetics and fashioned an American…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-something-special-happened-to-american-poetry-in-the-19th-century/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Some of his own closeness to nature, his great love for human beings, was passed on by Whitman to all of us who knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/some-of-his-own-closeness-to-nature-his-great-love-for-human-beings/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I have written every poem, every novel, for the same purpose-to find out what I think, to know where I stand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/may-sarton/i-have-written-every-poem-every-novel-for-the-same-purpose-to-find/) [May Sarton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/may-sarton/) > [I don't think I have written a poem when I was completely sober. 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His poem, The Iliad, tells the story of the siege of Troy, a story of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-deary/the-oldest-written-poem-was-by-the-greek-homer-his-poem-the-iliad/) [Terry Deary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-deary/) > [ I read the text; and then I come to the Shirat ha-Yam, to the Song of the Sea \[Exodus 15\], to the poetry. Who… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/i-read-the-text-and-then-i-come-to-the-shirat-ha-yam-to-the-song-of/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [“The word love has always tasted like the scent of fresh ink and soft paper to me. Like a newly written poem.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-hart/the-word-love-has-always-tasted-like-the-scent-of-fresh-ink-and-soft/) [Megan Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-hart/) ## More by Anonymous > [And a tear rolled down her cheek, as she said goodbye; because she's walking away, and she's never looking back](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/and-a-tear-rolled-down-her-cheek-as-she-said-goodbye-because-she-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You'll seldom experience regret for anything that you've done. It is what you haven't done that will torment you. 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I have been through a lot, but I still manage to have a smile on my face. Im not worried about the past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/me-i-have-been-through-a-lot-but-i-still-manage-to-have-a-smile-on-my/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Distance is a test of love. many will fail for those who can't withstand it, but for those who can, theres only one answer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/distance-is-a-test-of-love-many-will-fail-for-those-who-can-t/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Im sorry I ever tried...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/im-sorry-i-ever-tried/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Being betrayed by the one you love is the worst feeling in the world...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-betrayed-by-the-one-you-love-is-the-worst-feeling-in-the-world/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The only person I've ever purposely caused pain here is myself...By simply sharing, caring too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-only-person-i-ve-ever-purposely-caused-pain-here-is-myself-by/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Start a business, not a startup”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/start-a-business-not-a-startup/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The truth is, of course, that the curtness of the Ten Commandments is an evidence, not of the gloom and narrowness of a religion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-truth-is-of-course-that-the-curtness-of-the-ten-commandments-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Explore all 162,899 Anonymous quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More Eye quotes > [I need a bath." He chuckled. "You smell of smoke, as do I." The duke turned, leaning heavily on his cane. "Jameson, open the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/i-need-a-bath-he-chuckled-you-smell-of-smoke-as-do-i-the-duke-turned/) [Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/) > [If you take your eye off the ball or lose focus for even a minute you can lose a game against any team.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felipe-anderson/if-you-take-your-eye-off-the-ball-or-lose-focus-for-even-a-minute-you/) [Felipe Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felipe-anderson/) > [“He blinked. His eyes fell as he processed her response. Then he lifted his chin and attempted a grin that was almost painfully dejected.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marissa-meyer/he-blinked-his-eyes-fell-as-he-processed-her-response-then-he-lifted/) [Marissa Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marissa-meyer/) > [How could anybody confuse truth with beauty, I thought as I looked at him. 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