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The Collected Poems
The Collected Poems of W. B. Yeats includes all of the poems authorized by Yeats for inclusion in his standard canon. Breathtaking in range, it encompasses the entire arc of his career, from luminous reworking of ancient Irish myths and legends to passionate meditations on the demands and rewards of youth and old age, from exquisite, occasionally whimsical songs of love, n...more
Paperback, 544 pages
Published
September 9th 1996
by Scribner
(first published 1938)
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I have been living with Yeats's 'The Collected Poems of' for a year now, reading one collection at a time between other books, some of those other books studies of his poetry and read because understanding the peculiar personal, historical and philosophical contexts of Yeats's work is nigh on essential for a greater appreciation of the poems. And it is impossible not to read Yeats without a sense of reading a *right* poet, a writer deeply concerned with and indebted towards metrical and li...more
I like Yeats, I think. Mostly because he likes Irish mythology and writes lots of poems about it - a basic knowledge of Irish myths is helpful, but not totally necessary.
One of my favorites, for sheer Icky But Awesome Factor, is Leda and the Swan. My class spent nearly an hour discussing it and I almost understand it.
"LEDA AND THE SWAN
A sudden blow: the great wings beating still
Above the staggering girl, her thighs caressed
By the dark webs, ...more
One of my favorites, for sheer Icky But Awesome Factor, is Leda and the Swan. My class spent nearly an hour discussing it and I almost understand it.
"LEDA AND THE SWAN
A sudden blow: the great wings beating still
Above the staggering girl, her thighs caressed
By the dark webs, ...more
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The reason everyone digs Shakespeare is not because he was the greatest writer in the modern English language, or because he was even the greatest playwright, but because he had a nice way of putting things, and people like to apply his pithy sentiments to their own lives. This is stupid, and I've never subscribed to the idea that you can or should evaluate literature based on its relation to or resonance with your own life and experience. If you must do so, however, please do yourself a favor ...more
There are in history so huge personalities, so creative and rich minds that they inlet at a deeper level the normal progress of arts and change without solution the direction of its stream.
Of Dante Eliot said: Dante’s is a visual imagination.
Of Yeats we can say that his poetry is visionary matter in a symbolic motion.
All Yeats’ art could be read as a “formula alchemica” and we’re led on this path of symbols which feeds the visual associations at any rank.
“The Wild Swans ...more
Of Dante Eliot said: Dante’s is a visual imagination.
Of Yeats we can say that his poetry is visionary matter in a symbolic motion.
All Yeats’ art could be read as a “formula alchemica” and we’re led on this path of symbols which feeds the visual associations at any rank.
“The Wild Swans ...more
I still cannot read 'The Lake Isle of Innisfree' without being transported to another (better) place. Yeats' integral contains amazing verses such as 'When you are old and grey and full of sleep,' and poems such as 'An Irish Airman Foresees His Death' which I cannot resist to quote below. The only problem with WB Yeats in that you cannot translate it to any other language. Well, OK, you cannot actually properly translate any good poetry, but WBY makes the case.
An Irish Airman Fores...more
An Irish Airman Fores...more
My favourite piece of Yeats, which I've known since I was a teenager. I've never really figured out what it means, but I think it's wonderful all the same:
Rose of all Roses, Rose of all the World!...more
You, too, have come where the dim tides are hurled
Upon the wharves of sorrow, and heard ring
The bell that calls us on; the sweet far thing.
Beauty grown sad with its eternity
Made you of us, and of the dim grey sea.
Our long ships loose thought-woven sails and wait
If Yeats had only ever written the "Circus Animals' Desertion," he would be remembered as a fine poet. If he had written that and "Nineteen Hundred and Nineteen" he would be remembered as one of the greatest Irish poets. If he had written both of those and "Lapis Lazuli" he would be remembered as one of the 20th century's greatest poets. Add "Sailing to Byzantium," "The Tower," the "Double Vision of Michael Robartes," etc., and it becom...more
Aaah W.B, you were my first love! The first poet that ever made me cry real tears purely from the beauty of words. I travelled from the other side of the world to visit your grave and leave you flowers as thanks.
It is very hard to pick a favourite poem but if pressed on the subject I guess it would be:
He Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven
Had I the heavens' embroidered cloths,
Enwrought with the golden and silver light,
The blue and the dim and the dark clo...more
It is very hard to pick a favourite poem but if pressed on the subject I guess it would be:
He Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven
Had I the heavens' embroidered cloths,
Enwrought with the golden and silver light,
The blue and the dim and the dark clo...more
He's conceited. He's an elitist. He's sexist. He's more than a little crazy. But he's also a genius so we'll forgive him all that.
That's what my Yeats teacher told me anyways!
That's what my Yeats teacher told me anyways!
I case you were wondering where that odd book and movie title came from. Yeats poetry has give titles and quotes to a great many plays music and movies.
He was sexist, egocentric, pessimistic and a genius. Wonderful things for a poet.
"That is no country for old men. The young
In one another’s arms, birds in the trees
—Those dying generations—at their song,
The salmon-falls, the mackerel-crowded seas,
Fish, flesh, or fowl, commend all summer long ...more
He was sexist, egocentric, pessimistic and a genius. Wonderful things for a poet.
"That is no country for old men. The young
In one another’s arms, birds in the trees
—Those dying generations—at their song,
The salmon-falls, the mackerel-crowded seas,
Fish, flesh, or fowl, commend all summer long ...more
This book was a gift to me from a customer that used to come into the deli I worked at. We had many nice conversations as he came in most every day. He was older and was had extremely bad eye site. He would sit and eat and read with his books held up against his nose. I think of him from time to time and think how hard it would be to lose the ability to read because of blindness. He gave this book to me as a going away gift when I left for college. That was 22 years ago. I still have not ...more
Never give all the Heart
W.B. Yeats
Never give all the heart, for love
Will hardly seem worth thinking of
To passionate women if it seem
Certain, and they never dream
That it fades out from kiss to kiss;
For everything that's lovely is
But a brief, dreamy, kind delight.
O never give the heart outright,
For they, for all smooth lips can say,
Have given their hearts up to the play.
And who could play it well enough
If deaf and dumb ...more
W.B. Yeats
Never give all the heart, for love
Will hardly seem worth thinking of
To passionate women if it seem
Certain, and they never dream
That it fades out from kiss to kiss;
For everything that's lovely is
But a brief, dreamy, kind delight.
O never give the heart outright,
For they, for all smooth lips can say,
Have given their hearts up to the play.
And who could play it well enough
If deaf and dumb ...more
He made me fall in love with poetry. When time is short - when you have 5 minutes before a lesson, 5 minutes before work, read Yeats and you will feel relaxed again.
By chance, I found this on my Mum's bookshelf when I had finished reading a chick-lit novel. I'm very glad that I did.
Yeats writes about Ireland, and when he won the Nobel Prize for literature he accredited his success to his home country and was keen to represent them.
My favourite poem: He Wish...more
By chance, I found this on my Mum's bookshelf when I had finished reading a chick-lit novel. I'm very glad that I did.
Yeats writes about Ireland, and when he won the Nobel Prize for literature he accredited his success to his home country and was keen to represent them.
My favourite poem: He Wish...more
my favorite poet (and writer/philosopher). yeats' range is unrivaled, and his scope as a thinker, feeler, and man of a the modern world is so wonderfully inspiring and insightful.
like the rest of the modern poets, yeats has little hope for mankind-- which he views as largely self-interested and disgusting. however, unlike eliot (and others) yeats declares his anger with a persuasively lively spirit. i think i might love him most for his fight.
some of my favorite poems: ...more
like the rest of the modern poets, yeats has little hope for mankind-- which he views as largely self-interested and disgusting. however, unlike eliot (and others) yeats declares his anger with a persuasively lively spirit. i think i might love him most for his fight.
some of my favorite poems: ...more
If it were possible to award a book six stars out of a possible five, I would award it for this volume. I purchased this book last month in Galway, Ireland, and believe that it is not yet available in the US. The book contains Yeats’ complete and unabridged verse, exclusive of his plays. All the poems are arranged chronologically, and if one knows the poet’s biography it is thus easy to recognize allusions in the verses to what might otherwise be obscure, greatly enhancing one’s understanding...more
Hands down the best poet that ever lived. I know anyone reading this automatically will tell themselves or rather tell me: What about Shakespeare? I guess I see Mr. Shakespeare as more of a dramatist than a poet, although many of his poetic selections are unrivaled, Yeats is a more complete poet. This collection has his best work in it. It's as if the minute you read a Yeats poem it already has become a classic in your mind. My favorite poet and reading this book just bolstered my already high o...more
My favorite poet, though he shares that spot with Eliot. This is the most comprehensive edition of his poems available in major bookstores, a fact that I can attest to after having to track it down twice after giving my copies away.
Yeats' meditations on aging are by far my favorite - though most people are more familiar with him than they know - "The Second Coming" alone contains at least eight lines which developed lives of their own in 20th century media.
Yeats' meditations on aging are by far my favorite - though most people are more familiar with him than they know - "The Second Coming" alone contains at least eight lines which developed lives of their own in 20th century media.
Much of this poetry was beyond my familiarity with mythology. I was struck, however, by his frequent poignant insights as to the aging process and its effects on one's perception of life and youth — it continually amazes me how little some things human change over time. This collection was added to my reading list following a tribute to Yeats' birthday (13 June 1865), and the use of his poem "The Lake Isle of Innisfree" on Garrison Keillor's Writer's Almanac.
Brilliant! The imagery, symbolism, wordplay, language, everything!
Rightfully regarded as one of the great poets of the 20th century. It took me a while to get in to him, and for a period there I wondered if I was going to really connect, and then it just clicked and he's now one of my favourite poets.
I highly recommend an edition with good notes though, to help expand on the Irish mythology, politics, towns/cities, people, so on so forth, etc.
Rightfully regarded as one of the great poets of the 20th century. It took me a while to get in to him, and for a period there I wondered if I was going to really connect, and then it just clicked and he's now one of my favourite poets.
I highly recommend an edition with good notes though, to help expand on the Irish mythology, politics, towns/cities, people, so on so forth, etc.
I know it is an obvious one, but cannot beat "The Second Coming," first words:
Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity.
........more
Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity.
........more
I'm currently rereading poems form this collection at random. I always loved reading Yeats' mastery of Gaelic form and rhythm while knowing that he could not speak Gaelic himself.
Such beautiful words, such delightful imagery. Do yourself a favor and listen to a few of the poems that have been celebrated as recordings. They provide a different lens in which to view Yeats' magic. I also recommend listening to his readings of his works.
Such beautiful words, such delightful imagery. Do yourself a favor and listen to a few of the poems that have been celebrated as recordings. They provide a different lens in which to view Yeats' magic. I also recommend listening to his readings of his works.
A twentieth century poet-warlock whose like has not been seen since. I can't think of another recent poet other than Yeats whose verses actually rival the rhythmic incantatory power of William Blake. Yeats makes me believe that today can be as great as yesterday, that the best is yet to come.
Nine of my favorite Yeats poems from early to late: "The Ballad of Moll Magee," "When You are Old," "Adam's Curse," "Men improve with the Years," "B...more
Nine of my favorite Yeats poems from early to late: "The Ballad of Moll Magee," "When You are Old," "Adam's Curse," "Men improve with the Years," "B...more
I just found this, for free, in the vestibule of my apartment building. It's a beautiful old library book (it's seen the Nether Providence High School Library and the Strath Haven High School Library, apparently) and it's in great shape and has been well cared for. 19th printing, 1973. Can I tell you how excited I am right now? I didn't have a clean copy of the Yeats collected poems! And now I do!
why should not old men be mad?
Perhaps only because they have Yeats to guide them through. He made being a grumpy old drunk obsessed with mythology and younger women cool way before Bukowski and Jack Nicholson. I'd love to say his words moved me deeply (and perhaps they did, at that) but Yeats taught me to drink all of life's wine deeply even if it's a bit bitter. I do love these writings.
Is there another Troy to burn?
Not anymore there isn't.
Perhaps only because they have Yeats to guide them through. He made being a grumpy old drunk obsessed with mythology and younger women cool way before Bukowski and Jack Nicholson. I'd love to say his words moved me deeply (and perhaps they did, at that) but Yeats taught me to drink all of life's wine deeply even if it's a bit bitter. I do love these writings.
Is there another Troy to burn?
Not anymore there isn't.
Sorry to be such an Irish cliche but yes, he is my favourite poet. I am also fascinated by the disjunction between the poems and the life -- which I've explored in my novel 'A Dance in Time' and am now looking at more closely in a trilogy I'm writing about the Gonne women whom he loved: Maud and Iseult, mother and 'illegitimate' daughter.
I loved Yeats when I was in high school. By the time I got to college I had lumped him with Keats and Shelley, (unfair since he came along later and never reached their lock-up-your-daughters playa status) as trivial poets who wrote, at least partially, to get their hands up petticoats. My mistake:
Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loo...more
Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loo...more
I had a hardcover collection of Yeat's poems for a number of years but it may be gone now and may well not have been this particular book or edition. It contained my favorite poem, "The Song of the Wandering Angus". Made into a sort of art/folk song and performed by Judy Collins on one of her albums in the 60's. The name of the album was "Golden Apples of the Sun"(from the poem).
I went out to the hazel wood
Because a fire was in my head,
Cut and peeled ...more
I went out to the hazel wood
Because a fire was in my head,
Cut and peeled ...more
The introduction is handy. But I still don't like Yeats much. The Tower has its moments of being-poetry-I-like (like "Leda and the Swan," which was sufficiently short and confusing and paradoxically beautiful and terrible to strike my fancy). But I couldn't bring myself to read beyond the requisite Tower bits.
"Hearing him groan and stretch
The doll-maker's wife is aware
Her husband has heard the wretch,
And crouched by the arm of his chair,
She murmurs into his ear
Head upon shoulder leant:
'My dear, my dear, O dear,
It was an accident.' "
The doll-maker's wife is aware
Her husband has heard the wretch,
And crouched by the arm of his chair,
She murmurs into his ear
Head upon shoulder leant:
'My dear, my dear, O dear,
It was an accident.' "
One of my favorite poets. The more I learn about his own spiritualist practices and orientation, the more depth I see in his work. But aside from that, the poetry is beautiful and in a truly unmistakable voice.
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Awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1923 "for his always inspired poetry, which in a highly artistic form gives expression to the spirit of a whole nation."
William Butler Yeats (pronounced /ˈjeɪts/; 13 June 1865 – 28 January 1939) was an Irish poet and dramatist, and one of the foremost figures of 20th century literature. A pillar of both the Irish and British literary e...more
More about W.B. Yeats...
William Butler Yeats (pronounced /ˈjeɪts/; 13 June 1865 – 28 January 1939) was an Irish poet and dramatist, and one of the foremost figures of 20th century literature. A pillar of both the Irish and British literary e...more
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1 trivia question
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“Come away, O human child!
To the waters and the wild
With a faery, hand in hand,
For the world's more full of weeping than you can understand.”
—
135 people liked it
To the waters and the wild
With a faery, hand in hand,
For the world's more full of weeping than you can understand.”
“Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity.”
—
89 people liked it
More quotes…
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold;
Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world,
The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity.”
