Share this page :
William Butler Yeats (1865-1939 / County Dublin / Ireland)
Quotations
-
''their eyes still fixed, hoping to find once more,
William Butler Yeats (1865-1939), Irish poet. The Magi (l. 6-8). . . The Collected Poems of W. B. Yeats. Richard J. Finneran, ed. (1989) Macmillan.
Being by Calvary's turbulence unsatisfied,
The uncontrollable mystery on the bestial floor.''
-
''But when his horse had put its hoof
William Butler Yeats (1865-1939), Irish poet, playwright. "The Three Bushes."
Into a rabbit hole
He dropped upon his head and died.
His lady saw it all
And dropped and died thereon, for she
Loved him with her soul.''
-
''By his command these words are cut:
William Butler Yeats (1865-1939), Irish poet. Under Ben Bulben (l. 91-94). . . The Collected Poems of W. B. Yeats. Richard J. Finneran, ed. (1989) Macmillan.
Cast a cold eye
On life, on death.
Horseman, pass by!''
-
''Designs in connection with postage stamps and coinage may be described, I think, as the silent ambassadors on national taste.''
William Butler Yeats (1865-1939), Irish poet, playwright. Speech, March 3, 1926, to the Seanad Eireann, the Irish Senate, on the coinage bill.
-
''She might, so noble from head
William Butler Yeats (1865-1939), Irish poet, playwright. "A Thought from Propertius."
To great shapely knees
The long flowing line,
Have walked to the altar
Through the holy images
At Pallas Athena's side....''
-
''There'll be that crowd, that barbarous crowd, through all the centuries,
William Butler Yeats (1865-1939), Irish poet, playwright. "His Phoenix."
And who can say but some young belle may walk and talk men wild
Who is my beauty's equal, though that my heart denies,
But not the exact likeness, the simplicity of a child,
And that proud look as though she had gazed into the burning sun....''
-
''Violence upon the roads: violence of horses;
William Butler Yeats (1865-1939), Irish poet, playwright. "Nineteen Hundred and Nineteen."
Some few have handsome riders, are garlanded
On delicate sensitive ear or tossing mane,
But wearied running round and round in their courses
All break and vanish, and evil gathers head:
Herodias' daughters have returned again.''
-
''What can I but enumerate old themes?''
William Butler Yeats (1865-1939), Irish poet. The Circus Animals' Desertion (l. 9). . . The Collected Poems of W. B. Yeats. Richard J. Finneran, ed. (1989) Macmillan.
-
''But when a man poured fish into a pile,
William Butler Yeats (1865-1939), Irish poet. The Man Who Dreamed of Faeryland (l. 5-7). . . The Collected Poems of W. B. Yeats. Richard J. Finneran, ed. (1989) Macmillan.
It seemed they raised their little silver heads,
And sang''
-
''"Have no lit candles in your room,"
William Butler Yeats (1865-1939), Irish poet, playwright. "The Three Bushes."
That love lady said,
"That I at midnight by the clock
May creep into your bed,
For if I saw myself creep in
I think I should drop dead."
O my dear, O my dear.''
Read more quotations »