--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Only a white-haired old man, who would be…" description: "\"Only a white-haired old man, who would be a prophet Yet is not a prophet, for he's much too busy, Repeats while he binds his tomatoes: No other end of ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f5/czeslaw-milosz-7653_busy_only-a-white-haired-old-man-who-would-be_448079.jpg" --- # Only a white-haired old man, who would be a prophet Yet is… ![“Only a white-haired old man, who would be a prophet Yet is not a prophet, for he's much too busy, Repeats while he binds his tomatoes: No other end of the world will there be, No other end of the world will there be.” quote by Czeslaw Milosz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f5/czeslaw-milosz-7653_busy_only-a-white-haired-old-man-who-would-be_448079.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f5/czeslaw-milosz-7653_busy_only-a-white-haired-old-man-who-would-be_448079.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6f5/czeslaw-milosz-7653_busy_only-a-white-haired-old-man-who-would-be_448079.jpg) > “Only a white-haired old man, who would be a prophet Yet is not a prophet, for he's much too busy, Repeats while he binds his tomatoes: No other end of the world will there be, No other end of the world will there be.” [Czeslaw Milosz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/czeslaw-milosz/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A prophetic figure, burdened and busy, repeats a futile refrain about an endless world, suggesting futility and stagnation. **In simple terms:** Busy prophet repeats endless refrain. Key Takeaway Recognize when busyness masks emptiness. Themes prophecy busyness repetition existential dread futility Mood melancholic contemplative somber Type poetic philosophical When to use this quote - workplace stress - creative block - political activism - personal stagnation Key Concepts nihilism time human condition Questions to Reflect On - What endless you repeat without progress? - How can you break the cycle of endless waiting? A Different Perspective The poem may romanticize passivity instead of urging action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [End of the world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/end-of-the-world/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Old man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-man/) [Prophet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prophet/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [The architect must be a prophet... a prophet in the true sense of the term... if he can't see at least ten years ahead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-lloyd-wright/the-architect-must-be-a-prophet-a-prophet-in-the-true-sense-of-the/) [Frank Lloyd Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-lloyd-wright/) > [“A prophet is not a prophet to everyone in every place; he or she is a prophet to someone in some place.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-mccollam/a-prophet-is-not-a-prophet-to-everyone-in-every-place-he-or-she-is-a/) Dan McCollam > [With prophecies the commentator is often a more important man than the prophet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-c-lichtenberg/with-prophecies-the-commentator-is-often-a-more-important-man-than/) [Georg C. Lichtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-c-lichtenberg/) > [“Perhaps it is no wonder that the women were first at the Cradle and last at the Cross. They had never known a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-l-sayers/perhaps-it-is-no-wonder-that-the-women-were-first-at-the-cradle-and-2/) [Dorothy L. Sayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-l-sayers/) > [Prophet Adam himself was a very honorable man. He was a Prophet, so that means that Allah endowed him with firm faith and belief…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babloo/prophet-adam-himself-was-a-very-honorable-man-he-was-a-prophet-so/) [Babloo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babloo/) > [One who claimed what Jesus claimed about himself couldn't be a good moral man or a prophet. That option isn't open to us, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-mcdowell/one-who-claimed-what-jesus-claimed-about-himself-couldn-t-be-a-good/) [Josh McDowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-mcdowell/) > [If you're buying tomatoes pick them up and smell them-they should have a lovely perfume. They need to be kept at fifty degrees or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-child/if-you-re-buying-tomatoes-pick-them-up-and-smell-them-they-should/) [Julia Child](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-child/) > [If you don't like tomato soup, you don't buy tomato soup.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-parker/if-you-don-t-like-tomato-soup-you-don-t-buy-tomato-soup/) [Kathleen Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-parker/) > [Linda McCartney sausages were my favorite. Theyre much better than eating real sausages and you dont have to contemplate half way through exactly whats…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-cowell/linda-mccartney-sausages-were-my-favorite-theyre-much-better-than/) [Simon Cowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-cowell/) > [In Spain, we mainly use red plum tomatoes, but it is always fun to experiment. Try using a mix of colors or substitute green…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-spain-we-mainly-use-red-plum-tomatoes-but-it-is-always-fun-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you've got a plot the size of a car or a tiny yard in Italy, you're going to be growing tomatoes and basil…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-mayes/if-you-ve-got-a-plot-the-size-of-a-car-or-a-tiny-yard-in-italy-you-re/) [Frances Mayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-mayes/) > [Tacos." "Tacos?" I echoed. This seemed to amuse him. "Tomatoes, lettuce, cheese." "I know what a taco is!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becca-fitzpatrick/tacos-tacos-i-echoed-this-seemed-to-amuse-him-tomatoes-lettuce-cheese/) [Becca Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becca-fitzpatrick/) > [We don't have a farm-to-table food safety system. I keep saying this. It came as a big surprise to the FDA that tomatoes were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-nestle/we-don-t-have-a-farm-to-table-food-safety-system-i-keep-saying-this/) [Marion Nestle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-nestle/) > [I don't eat meat - chicken, fish, none of that. I eat a lot of vegetable sandwiches, like lettuce, tomatoes, sprouts, cucumbers, whatever I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gza/i-don-t-eat-meat-chicken-fish-none-of-that-i-eat-a-lot-of-vegetable/) Gza > [Italy has sun and tomatoes, and Russia just has real problems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-shteyngart/italy-has-sun-and-tomatoes-and-russia-just-has-real-problems/) [Gary Shteyngart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-shteyngart/) ## More by Czeslaw Milosz > [The child who dwells inside us trusts that there are wise men somewhere who know the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/czeslaw-milosz/the-child-who-dwells-inside-us-trusts-that-there-are-wise-men/) [Czeslaw Milosz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/czeslaw-milosz/) > [We have become indifferent to content, and react, not even to form, but to technique, to technical efficiency itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/czeslaw-milosz/we-have-become-indifferent-to-content-and-react-not-even-to-form-but/) [Czeslaw Milosz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/czeslaw-milosz/) > [“And Yet the Books And yet the books will be there on the shelves, separate beings, That appeared once, still wet As shining chestnuts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/czeslaw-milosz/and-yet-the-books-and-yet-the-books-will-be-there-on-the-shelves/) [Czeslaw Milosz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/czeslaw-milosz/) > [“When someone is honestly 55 percent right, that’s very good and there’s no use wrangling. 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If a thrush on a branch is not a sign, But just a thrush on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/czeslaw-milosz/and-if-there-is-no-lining-to-the-world-if-a-thrush-on-a-branch-is-not/) [Czeslaw Milosz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/czeslaw-milosz/) > [At every sunrise I renounce the doubts of night and greet the new day of a most precious delusion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/czeslaw-milosz/at-every-sunrise-i-renounce-the-doubts-of-night-and-greet-the-new-day/) [Czeslaw Milosz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/czeslaw-milosz/) > [The soul exceeds its circumstances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/czeslaw-milosz/the-soul-exceeds-its-circumstances/) [Czeslaw Milosz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/czeslaw-milosz/) > [I imagine the earth when I am no more: Women's dresses, dewy lilacs, a song in the valley. Yet the books will be there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/czeslaw-milosz/i-imagine-the-earth-when-i-am-no-more-women-s-dresses-dewy-lilacs-a/) [Czeslaw Milosz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/czeslaw-milosz/) > [There was a time when only wise books were read helping us to bear our pain and misery. This, after all, is not quite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/czeslaw-milosz/there-was-a-time-when-only-wise-books-were-read-helping-us-to-bear/) [Czeslaw Milosz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/czeslaw-milosz/) > [If I am all mankind, are they themselves without me?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/czeslaw-milosz/if-i-am-all-mankind-are-they-themselves-without-me/) [Czeslaw Milosz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/czeslaw-milosz/) > [“In the very essence of poetry there is something indecent; A thing brought forth that we didn't know we had in us, So we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/czeslaw-milosz/in-the-very-essence-of-poetry-there-is-something-indecent-a-thing/) [Czeslaw Milosz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/czeslaw-milosz/) > [Consolation Calm down. Both your sins and your good deeds will be lost in oblivion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/czeslaw-milosz/consolation-calm-down-both-your-sins-and-your-good-deeds-will-be-lost/) [Czeslaw Milosz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/czeslaw-milosz/) > [I am composed of contradictions, which is why poetry is a better form for me than philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/czeslaw-milosz/i-am-composed-of-contradictions-which-is-why-poetry-is-a-better-form/) [Czeslaw Milosz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/czeslaw-milosz/) > [Every poet depends upon generations who wrote in his native tongue; he inherits styles and forms elaborated by those who lived before him. At…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/czeslaw-milosz/every-poet-depends-upon-generations-who-wrote-in-his-native-tongue-he/) [Czeslaw Milosz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/czeslaw-milosz/) [Explore all 89 Czeslaw Milosz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/czeslaw-milosz/) ## More Busy quotes > [Success doesn't have a downside for me. I'm busy, but I've always been busy whatever job I've had. My very first job working in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-derbyshire/success-doesn-t-have-a-downside-for-me-i-m-busy-but-i-ve-always-been/) Victoria Derbyshire > [I remember till 997th film, but after that I got so busy with multiple projects; I'm not sure which one released as my 1,000th…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brahmanandam/i-remember-till-997th-film-but-after-that-i-got-so-busy-with-multiple/) [Brahmanandam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brahmanandam/) > [I love to work in football, so for me it's not work. 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