A Book of Irish Verse

by W.B. Yeats

In 1895 the thirty-year-old W.B. Yeats, already established as one of Ireland's leading poets and folklorists, published this outstanding collection of Irish verse as part of his campaign to establish a tradition of Irish poetry fit for the dawn of a new age in Ireland's history. This Routledge Classics edition, complete with a specially commissioned introduction by acclaimed writer and critic John Banville, is essential reading for all who appreciate good literature.

Genres: Poetry, Classics, Ireland

208 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1895

About the author

William Butler Yeats 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 establishments, in his later years Yeats served as an Irish Senator for two terms. He was a driving force behind the Irish Literary Revival, and along with Lady Gregory and Edward Martyn founded the Abbey Theatre, serving as its chief during its early years. In 1923 he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature for what the Nobel Committee described as "inspired poetry, which in a highly artistic form gives expression to the spirit of a whole nation." He was the first Irishman so honored. Yeats is generally considered one of the few writers who completed their greatest works after being awarded the Nobel Prize; such works include The Tower (1928) and The Winding Stair and Other Poems (1929).

Yeats was born and educated in Dublin but spent his childhood in County Sligo. He studied poetry in his youth, and from an early age was fascinated by both Irish legends and the occult. Those topics feature in the first phase of his work, which lasted roughly until the turn of the century. His earliest volume of verse was published in 1889, and those slow paced and lyrical poems display debts to Edmund Spenser and Percy Bysshe Shelley, as well as to the Pre-Raphaelite poets. From 1900, Yeats' poetry grew more physical and realistic. He largely renounced the transcendental beliefs of his youth, though he remained preoccupied with physical and spiritual masks, as well as with cyclical theories of life.
--from Wikipedia

Reviews

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Selected by W.B. Yeats, this is a great collection of old Irish poetry. As with any collection of this type, some entries are a lot better than others but the general standard is so high I couldn’t give it fewer than 4 stars. It’s a chunky volume, too, unlike many poetry collections, so there’s plenty to sink your teeth into.

Lament of the Irish Emigrant

by Lady Dufferin

I’m sittin’ on the stile, Mary,
Where we sat side by side,
On a bright May mornin’, long ago,
When first you were my bride:
The corn was springing’ fresh and green,
And the lark sand loud and high-
And the red was on your lip, Mary,
And the love-light in your eye.
The place is little changed, Mary,
The day is bright as then,
The lark’s loud song is in my ear,
And the corn is green again;
But I miss the soft clasp of your hand,
And your breath, warm on my cheek;
And I still keep listening for the words
You never more will speak.
‘Tis but a step down yonder lane,
And the little church stands near-
The church where we were wed, Mary,
I see the spire from here.
But the graveyard lies between, Mary,
And my step might break your rest-
For I’ve laid you, darling! down to sleep,
With your baby on your breast.
I’m very lonely now, Mary,
For the poor make no new friends;
But, O! they love the better still,
The few our Father sends!
And you were all I had, Mary,
My blessin’ and my pride!
There’s nothin’ left to care for now,
Since my poor Mary died.
Yours was the good, brave heart, Mary,
That still kept hoping on,
When the trust in God had left my soul,
And my arm’s young strength was gone;
There was comfort even on your lip,
And the kind look on your brow-
I bless you, Mary, for that same,
Though you cannot hear me now.
I thank you for the patient smile
When your heart was fit to break,
When the hunger pain was gnawing there,
And you hid it for my sake;
I bless you for the pleasant word,
When your heart was sad and sore-
O! I’m thankful you are gone, Mary,
Where grief can’t reach you more!
I’m biddin’ you a long farewell,
My Mary - kind and true!
But I’ll not forget you, darling,
In the land I’m goin’ to:
They say there’s bread and work for all,
And the sun shines always there-
But I’ll not forget old Ireland,
Were it fifty times as fair!
And often in those grand old woods
I’ll sit and shut my eyes,
And my heart will travel back again
To the place where Mary lies;
And I’ll think I see the little stile
Where we sat side by side,
And the springin’ corn, and the bright May morn,
When first you were my bride.

My next book: The Last Campaign

[RD Chiriboga Moncayo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fine anthology of 18th and 19th century verse.

[A. Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This 1899 collection is important for a number of reasons. Even though Yeats, in his preface, states that he has sought to choose works of literary value and not only patriotic and political value, his selections clearly demonstrate a particular political and patriotic position. The assortment of poets is worth reading, and taken as a whole, the book demonstrates the importance Yeats and other Celtic Revivalists put on myth, lore, and history. There are many pieces here that employ the traditional figure of Ireland as a woman, a mother, a rose, Rosaleen, the Shan Van Vocht, along with Osian, Aideen, the banshee, fairies, the Children of Lir. The volume makes a political as well as cultural statement.

[Jonathan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Maybe 3 or 4 stars for the verse, their technical qualities.

But I disliked a lot of these poems, the content. Many of them are about Irish rakes (scoundrels), many are about Irish leaders and battles, which I guess is fine, but I generally find poems glorifying leaders and the dead as not uplifting or inspiring—especially when they’re praising them for qualities like womanizing, vengefulness, alcoholism, etc.

Not usually a fan of patriotic poetry. I mean it’s fine if the poetry is all about how much you love your country, I’m just probably not gonna enjoy it.

There were a few good ones, a couple by Emily Brontë were nice.

And many of them I didn’t understand, since I do not know Irish history/culture/language, which also makes it harder to appreciate the poetry. So some of my lack of enjoyment is simply my fault, my lack of knowledge.

[Vanjr · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very good book of poetry. It says WB Yeats on the cover, but from what I can tell he must have edited it because not a single poem in the book has Yeats in the by line. The majority have other authors (some poems are listed "from the Irish" so maybe Yeats translated them?). I read this part before going to Ireland for the first time and part after coming home. It certainly was appreciated more after I had been there. I am not a poetry person, but this was a fun read.

[Brandon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some very good works included, but most are very dry. Fucking Ireland.