Homework Assistance
 Your teacher given you an impossible task? In search of divine inspiration to help you along? 

eMule -> The Poetry Archive -> Forums -> Homework Assistance


Goto Thread: PreviousNext
Goto: Forum ListMessage ListNew TopicSearchLog In
Metaphysical poetry of William Butler Yeats
Posted by: Tobi (---.pm3-12.col-ch.oh.localnet.com)
Date: April 22, 2022 03:21PM

Which of William Butler Yeats' poems could be examples of metaphysical poetry? I think "The Second Coming" and "Leda and the Swan", would fit the definition, but I'm at a loss about any others. Thanks for any help you can offer.


Re: Metaphysical poetry of William Butler Yeats
Posted by: lg (---.ca.charter.com)
Date: April 22, 2022 08:14PM

Toby look through the collection of Yeats' work in the Classical Poets section of this website. I think you could find many examples such as this:

An Image From A Past Life
by William Butler Yeats

{He.} Never until this night have I been stirred.
The elaborate starlight throws a reflection
On the dark stream,
Till all the eddies gleam;
And thereupon there comes that scream
From terrified, invisible beast or bird:
Image of poignant recollection.

{She.} An image of my heart that is smitten through
Out of all likelihood, or reason,
And when at last,
Youth's bitterness being past,
I had thought that all my days were cast
Amid most lovely places; smitten as though
It had not learned its lesson.

{He.} Why have you laid your hands upon my eyes?
What can have suddenly alarmed you
Whereon 'twere best
My eyes should never rest?
What is there but the slowly fading west,
The river imaging the flashing skies,
All that to this moment charmed you?

{She.} A Sweetheart from another life floats there
As though she had been forced to linger
From vague distress
Or arrogant loveliness,
Merely to loosen out a tress
Among the starry eddies of her hair
Upon the paleness of a finger.

{He.} But why should you grow suddenly afraid
And start -- I at your shoulder --
Imagining
That any night could bring
An image up, or anything
Even to eyes that beauty had driven mad,
But images to make me fonder?

{She.} Now She has thrown her arms above her head;
Whether she threw them up to flout me,
Or but to find,
Now that no fingers bind,
That her hair streams upon the wind,
I do not know, that know I am afraid
Of the hovering thing night brought me.

Les


Re: Metaphysical poetry of William Butler Yeats
Posted by: Hugh Clary (---.denver-04rh16rt.co.dial-access.att.net)
Date: April 23, 2022 05:31PM

Which of William Butler Yeats' poems could be examples of metaphysical poetry?

Depends on your definition of metaphysical poetry:

[tinyurl.com] />
Or metaphysics itself even:

[tinyurl.com] />
Poetry nobody can define, so we can let that pass.




Sorry, only registered users may post in this forum.
This poetry forum at emule.com powered by Phorum.