It isn't pleasant to surrender to the hegemony of a nation which is still wild and primitive, and to concede the absolute superiority of its customs and institutions, science and technology, literature and art. Must one sacrifice so much in the name of the unity of mankind?

Czeslaw Milosz

Categorized in : Art Technology Sacrifice

In a room where people unanimously maintain a conspiracy of silence, one word of truth sounds like a pistol shot.

truth integrity people

The purpose of poetry is to remind us how difficult it is to remain just one person, for our house is open, there are no keys in the doors, and invisible guests come in and out at will.

keys house doors

Religion used to be the opium of the people. To those suffering humiliation, pain, illness, and serfdom, religion promised the reward of an after life. But now, we are witnessing a transformation, a true opium of the people is the belief in nothingness after death, the huge solace, the huge comfort of thinking that for our betrayals, our greed, our cowardice, our murders, we are not going to be judged.

betrayal pain atheist

The living owe it to those who no longer can speak to tell their... by Czeslaw Milosz

The living owe it to those who no longer can speak to tell their story for them.

remembrance speak stories

The voice of passion is better than the voice of reason. The pass... by Czeslaw Milosz

The voice of passion is better than the voice of reason. The passionless cannot change history.

passion voice change

Evil grows and bears fruit, which is understandable, because it has logic and probability on its side and also, of course, strength. The resistance of tiny kernels of good, to which no one grants the power of causing far-reaching consequences, is entirely mysterious, however. Such seeming nothingness not only lasts but contains within itself enormous energy which is revealed gradually.

lasts energy evil

The soul exceeds its circumstances. by Czeslaw Milosz

The soul exceeds its circumstances.

exceed soul circumstances

Consolation Calm down. Both your sins and your good deeds will be... by Czeslaw Milosz

Consolation Calm down. Both your sins and your good deeds will be lost in oblivion.

calm sin deeds

Not that I want to be a god or a hero. Just to change into a tree... by Czeslaw Milosz

Not that I want to be a god or a hero. Just to change into a tree, grow for ages, not hurt anyone.

hurt inspirational life

Do not feel safe. The poet remembers. by Czeslaw Milosz

Do not feel safe. The poet remembers.

deeds remembers-you remember-you

The history of my stupidity would fill many volumes. by Czeslaw Milosz

The history of my stupidity would fill many volumes.

stupidity volume

Be young forever, seasons of the earth. by Czeslaw Milosz

Be young forever, seasons of the earth.

earth young forever

What has no shadow has no strength to live. by Czeslaw Milosz

What has no shadow has no strength to live.

shadow

Language is the only homeland. by Czeslaw Milosz

Language is the only homeland.

homeland language

At every sunrise I renounce the doubts of night and greet the new... by Czeslaw Milosz

At every sunrise I renounce the doubts of night and greet the new

doubt night new-day

The true enemy of man is generalization. by Czeslaw Milosz

The true enemy of man is generalization.

generalization men enemy

When a writer is born into a family, the family is finished. by Czeslaw Milosz

When a writer is born into a family, the family is finished.

finished born

I am composed of contradictions, which is why poetry is a better... by Czeslaw Milosz

I am composed of contradictions, which is why poetry is a better form for me than philosophy

contradiction form philosophy

A true opium of the people is a belief in nothingness after death - the huge solace of thinking that for our betrayals, greed, cowardice, murders we are not going to be judged.

betrayal people thinking

The purpose of poetry is to remind us / how difficult it is to re... by Czeslaw Milosz

The purpose of poetry is to remind us / how difficult it is to remain just one person.

difficult poetry-is purpose