--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A yak is a prehistoric cabbage; of that…" description: "\"A yak is a prehistoric cabbage; of that, we can be sure.\" — John Ashbery" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7de/john-ashbery-3600_cabbage_a-yak-is-a-prehistoric-cabbage-of-that-w_2125751.png" --- # A yak is a prehistoric cabbage; of that, we can be sure. ![“A yak is a prehistoric cabbage; of that, we can be sure.” quote by John Ashbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7de/john-ashbery-3600_cabbage_a-yak-is-a-prehistoric-cabbage-of-that-w_2125751.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7de/john-ashbery-3600_cabbage_a-yak-is-a-prehistoric-cabbage-of-that-w_2125751.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7de/john-ashbery-3600_cabbage_a-yak-is-a-prehistoric-cabbage-of-that-w_2125751.png) > “A yak is a prehistoric cabbage; of that, we can be sure.” [John Ashbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ashbery/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A yak is humorously likened to an ancient cabbage, highlighting absurdity in classification. **In simple terms:** A yak is compared to a prehistoric cabbage for comic effect. Key Takeaway Embrace humor in unexpected comparisons. Themes absurdity humor language creativity playfulness Mood playful lighthearted thought‑provoking Type literary humorous creative When to use this quote - creative writing - teaching language - ice comedy - advertising copy - branding slogans Key Concepts literary nonsense semantic inversion poetic imagination Questions to Reflect On - What does this absurd comparison reveal about categorization? - How can humor shift perspective on familiar subjects? A Different Perspective Such jokes may obscure deeper meaning if overused. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Yaks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/yaks/) ## Related quotes > [Mild autism can give you a genius like Einstein. 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It's like a lot of yaks jumping about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-beecham/what-can-you-do-with-it-it-s-like-a-lot-of-yaks-jumping-about/) [Thomas Beecham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-beecham/) > [You, God, who live next door-- If at times, through the long night, I trouble you with my urgent knocking-- this is why: I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-maria-rilke/you-god-who-live-next-door-if-at-times-through-the-long-night-i/) [Rainer Maria Rilke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-maria-rilke/) ## More by John Ashbery > [“It was always November there.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ashbery/it-was-always-november-there/) [John Ashbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ashbery/) > [“Yes, they are alive and can have those colors, But I, in my soul, am alive too. I feel I must sing and dance,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ashbery/yes-they-are-alive-and-can-have-those-colors-but-i-in-my-soul-am/) [John Ashbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ashbery/) > [How many people came and stayed a certain time, Uttered light or dark speech that became part of you Like light behind windblown fog…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ashbery/how-many-people-came-and-stayed-a-certain-time-uttered-light-or-dark/) [John Ashbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ashbery/) > [Some certified nut Will try to tell you it's poetry, (It's extraordinary, it makes a great deal of sense) But watch out or he'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ashbery/some-certified-nut-will-try-to-tell-you-it-s-poetry-it-s/) [John Ashbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ashbery/) > [The ellipse is as aimless as that, Stretching invisibly into the future so as to reappear In our present. Its flexing is its account,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ashbery/the-ellipse-is-as-aimless-as-that-stretching-invisibly-into-the/) [John Ashbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ashbery/) > [Somewhere someone is traveling furiously toward you, At incredible speed, traveling day and night…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ashbery/somewhere-someone-is-traveling-furiously-toward-you-at-incredible/) [John Ashbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ashbery/) > [The facts of history have been too well rehearsed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ashbery/the-facts-of-history-have-been-too-well-rehearsed/) [John Ashbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ashbery/) > [“The genius of Cornell is that he sees and enables us to see with the eyes of childhood, before our vision got clouded by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ashbery/the-genius-of-cornell-is-that-he-sees-and-enables-us-to-see-with-the/) [John Ashbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ashbery/) > [The mind Is so hospitable, taking in everything Like boarders, and you don't see until It's all over how little there was to learn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ashbery/the-mind-is-so-hospitable-taking-in-everything-like-boarders-and-you/) [John Ashbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ashbery/) > [In the increasingly convincing darkness The words become palpable, like a fruit That is too beautiful to eat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ashbery/in-the-increasingly-convincing-darkness-the-words-become-palpable/) [John Ashbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ashbery/) > [What I like about music is its ability to be convincing, to carry an argument through successfully to the finish, though the terms of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ashbery/what-i-like-about-music-is-its-ability-to-be-convincing-to-carry-an/) [John Ashbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ashbery/) > [“The Unknown Travelers Lugged to the gray arbor, I have climbed this snow-stone on my face, My stick, but what, snapped the avalanche The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ashbery/the-unknown-travelers-lugged-to-the-gray-arbor-i-have-climbed-this/) [John Ashbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ashbery/) > [I don't look on poetry as closed works. I feel they're going on all the time in my head and I occasionally snip off…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ashbery/i-don-t-look-on-poetry-as-closed-works-i-feel-they-re-going-on-all/) [John Ashbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ashbery/) > [Somewhere someone is traveling furiously toward you, At incredible speed, traveling day and night, Through blizzards and desert heat, across torrents, through narrow passes.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ashbery/somewhere-someone-is-traveling-furiously-toward-you-at-incredible-2/) [John Ashbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ashbery/) > [The promise of learning is a delusion… Tomorrow would alter the sense of what had already been learned, that the learning process is extended…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ashbery/the-promise-of-learning-is-a-delusion-tomorrow-would-alter-the-sense/) [John Ashbery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ashbery/) [Explore all 126 John Ashbery quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ashbery/) ## More Cabbage quotes > [Slugs crawl and crawl over our cabbages, like the world's slander over a good name. You may kill them, it is true; but there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-william-jerrold/slugs-crawl-and-crawl-over-our-cabbages-like-the-world-s-slander-over/) [Douglas William Jerrold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-william-jerrold/) > [In the first place, lawyers better remember they are human beings, and a human being who hasn't his periods of doubts and distresses and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-frankfurter/in-the-first-place-lawyers-better-remember-they-are-human-beings-and/) [Felix Frankfurter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-frankfurter/) > [He who has plenty of pepper will pepper his cabbage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/he-who-has-plenty-of-pepper-will-pepper-his-cabbage/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [He tapped my chest. 'Happy is here.' He tapped his own chest. 'Here.' I looked down past my chin. 'Inside?' 'Inside.' It was getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-spinelli/he-tapped-my-chest-happy-is-here-he-tapped-his-own-chest-here-i/) [Jerry Spinelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-spinelli/) > [I'll show you how the cows eat cabbage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-ll-show-you-how-the-cows-eat-cabbage/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I don't like him." Looking from Kale to Alex, Ginger said, "I don't like cabbage. Do you see me taking on the produce section…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jus-accardo/i-don-t-like-him-looking-from-kale-to-alex-ginger-said-i-don-t-like/) [Jus Accardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jus-accardo/) > [I want death to find me planting my cabbage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-de-montaigne/i-want-death-to-find-me-planting-my-cabbage/) [Michel De Montaigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-de-montaigne/) > [The cabbage surpasses all other vegetables. If, at a banquet, you wish to dine a lot and enjoy your dinner, then eat as much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cato-the-younger/the-cabbage-surpasses-all-other-vegetables-if-at-a-banquet-you-wish/) [Cato the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cato-the-younger/) > [I was put off by people at school - my cabbage wasn't as good as other people's, you know, so that put me off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-mcgough/i-was-put-off-by-people-at-school-my-cabbage-wasn-t-as-good-as-other/) [Roger McGough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-mcgough/) > [I like to get where the cabbage is cooking and catch the scents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-smith/i-like-to-get-where-the-cabbage-is-cooking-and-catch-the-scents/) [Red Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-smith/) > [Some like carrots, others like cabbage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/proverb/some-like-carrots-others-like-cabbage/) Proverb > [And still I look for the men who will dare to be roses of England wild roses of England men who are wild roses…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-h-lawrence/and-still-i-look-for-the-men-who-will-dare-to-be-roses-of-england/) [D. H. Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-h-lawrence/) > [It is clear that men accept an immediate pain rather than an immediate pleasure, but only because they expect a greater pleasure in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/it-is-clear-that-men-accept-an-immediate-pain-rather-than-an/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [The wildest dreams of wild men, even, are not the less true, though they may not recommend themselves to the sense which is most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-wildest-dreams-of-wild-men-even-are-not-the-less-true-though-they/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [He is useless on top of the ground; he ought to be under it, inspiring the cabbages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/he-is-useless-on-top-of-the-ground-he-ought-to-be-under-it-inspiring/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) Browse all 128 Cabbage quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A yak is a prehistoric cabbage; of that, we can be sure.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Ashbery" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ashbery/a-yak-is-a-prehistoric-cabbage-of-that-we-can-be-sure/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cabbage" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ashbery/a-yak-is-a-prehistoric-cabbage-of-that-we-can-be-sure/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7de/john-ashbery-3600_cabbage_a-yak-is-a-prehistoric-cabbage-of-that-w_2125751.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7de/john-ashbery-3600_cabbage_a-yak-is-a-prehistoric-cabbage-of-that-w_2125751.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7de/john-ashbery-3600_cabbage_a-yak-is-a-prehistoric-cabbage-of-that-w_2125751.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A yak is a prehistoric cabbage; of that, we can be sure.” — John Ashbery", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "John Ashbery", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ashbery/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A yak is a prehistoric cabbage;...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ashbery/a-yak-is-a-prehistoric-cabbage-of-that-we-can-be-sure/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ashbery/a-yak-is-a-prehistoric-cabbage-of-that-we-can-be-sure/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```