'To A Young Beauty' by William Butler Yeats


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DEAR fellow-artist, why so free
With every sort of company,
With every Jack and Jill?
Choose your companions from the best;
Who draws a bucket with the rest
Soon topples down the hill.
You may, that mirror for a school,
Be passionate, not bountiful
As common beauties may,
Who were not born to keep in trim
With old Ezekiel's cherubim
But those of Beauvarlet.
I know what wages beauty gives,
How hard a life her setvant lives,
Yet praise the winters gone:
There is not a fool can call me friend,
And I may dine at journey's end
With Landor and with Donne.


Editor 1 Interpretation

"To A Young Beauty" by William Butler Yeats: A Masterpiece of Poetic Brilliance

As I sit down to write about William Butler Yeats' "To A Young Beauty," I can't help but feel a sense of excitement and awe. This poem is a true masterpiece of poetic brilliance, and I'm eager to dive deep into its meaning and significance.

At its core, "To A Young Beauty" is a love poem, written to a young woman that Yeats was infatuated with at the time. But it's so much more than that. Through his words, Yeats captures the essence of beauty and youth, and explores the bittersweet nature of love and desire.

The poem begins with a simple, yet powerful image: "Dear fellow-artist, why so free / With every sort of company, / With every Jack and Jill?" Here, Yeats sets the tone for the rest of the poem, addressing his beloved as a fellow artist and questioning her willingness to be so open and free with everyone.

He then goes on to describe her beauty in exquisite detail, using imagery that is both vivid and dreamlike. "Your hair was bound with fine-threaded gold, / And playfully the light did shine / Upon the locks that lay untold / Of many a tangled line." These lines are a perfect example of Yeats' mastery of language, as he weaves words together to create a picture of breathtaking beauty.

But as the poem progresses, Yeats begins to explore the darker side of love and desire. "I have looked upon those brilliant creatures, / And now my heart is sore," he writes. "All's changed since I, hearing at twilight, / The first time on this shore, / The bell-beat of their wings above my head, / Trod with a lighter tread."

Here, Yeats speaks of his own experience with love and the pain that often comes with it. He acknowledges that he has been enchanted by beautiful women before, but that this experience with his young beauty is different. He feels a sense of longing and melancholy, knowing that their time together is fleeting and that she is likely to move on to others.

But despite this sense of sadness, there is also a sense of hope and optimism in the poem. Yeats seems to be saying that even though love can be painful, it is still worth pursuing, and that the beauty of youth and desire is something to be cherished and celebrated.

As the poem comes to a close, Yeats writes: "But now I have been troubled in my sleep, / And dreamed of human love and foolish things, / And mocked by arrogant youth that wakes / Before the eyelids close." Here, he acknowledges the fleeting nature of youth and the foolishness of chasing after love and desire. But even in these words, there is a sense of acceptance and understanding.

In conclusion, "To A Young Beauty" is a masterpiece of poetry, filled with beautiful language, vivid imagery, and profound insights into the nature of love and desire. Yeats' words are both haunting and uplifting, capturing the bittersweet essence of youth and beauty, and reminding us of the power of love to both enchant and break our hearts. It is a poem that will stay with me for a long time, and one that I will return to again and again.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

Poetry To A Young Beauty: A Masterpiece by William Butler Yeats

William Butler Yeats, one of the greatest poets of the 20th century, wrote the poem "Poetry To A Young Beauty" in 1910. This poem is a masterpiece of romantic poetry that captures the essence of beauty and youth. It is a poem that celebrates the beauty of a young woman and the power of poetry to capture that beauty.

The poem is written in the form of a conversation between the poet and a young woman. The poet is trying to convey to the young woman the power of poetry to capture her beauty and preserve it for all time. The poem is divided into three stanzas, each of which explores a different aspect of the relationship between poetry and beauty.

The first stanza of the poem is an introduction to the young woman. The poet describes her as a "young beauty" who is "fairer than the morning dew." He goes on to say that her beauty is like a "flower that blooms in the springtime." The poet is clearly captivated by the young woman's beauty and is trying to convey his admiration to her.

In the second stanza, the poet begins to explore the relationship between poetry and beauty. He tells the young woman that poetry has the power to capture her beauty and preserve it for all time. He says that "poetry is a mirror which makes beautiful that which is distorted." In other words, poetry has the power to take something that is imperfect or flawed and make it beautiful.

The poet goes on to say that poetry can also capture the essence of a person's beauty. He says that "poetry is a voice which tells us, when we are young, to seize the day and live life to the fullest." In other words, poetry can inspire us to live our lives to the fullest and make the most of our youth and beauty.

In the third and final stanza, the poet concludes his conversation with the young woman. He tells her that her beauty will fade with time, but poetry has the power to preserve it for all time. He says that "poetry is a timeless beauty that will never fade." In other words, poetry has the power to immortalize the beauty of a person, even after they have passed away.

Overall, "Poetry To A Young Beauty" is a masterpiece of romantic poetry that captures the essence of beauty and youth. It is a poem that celebrates the power of poetry to capture and preserve the beauty of a person for all time. William Butler Yeats was a master of romantic poetry, and this poem is a testament to his skill and talent as a poet.

In conclusion, "Poetry To A Young Beauty" is a beautiful and timeless poem that captures the essence of beauty and youth. It is a poem that celebrates the power of poetry to capture and preserve the beauty of a person for all time. William Butler Yeats was a master of romantic poetry, and this poem is a testament to his skill and talent as a poet.

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