'Supernatural Songs' by William Butler Yeats
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I
i{Ribb at the Tomb of Baile and Aillinn}
BECAUSE you have found me in the pitch-dark night
With open book you ask me what I do.
Mark and digest my tale, carry it afar
To those that never saw this tonsured head
Nor heard this voice that ninety years have cracked.
Of Baile and Aillinn you need not speak,
All know their tale, all know what leaf and twig,
What juncture of the apple and the yew,
Surmount their bones; but speak what none ha've
heard.
The miracle that gave them such a death
Transfigured to pure substance what had once
Been bone and sinew; when such bodies join
There is no touching here, nor touching there,
Nor straining joy, but whole is joined to whole;
For the intercourse of angels is a light
Where for its moment both seem lost, consumed.
Here in the pitch-dark atmosphere above
The trembling of the apple and the yew,
Here on the anniversary of their death,
The anniversary of their first embrace,
Those lovers, purified by tragedy,
Hurry into each other's arms; these eyes,
By water, herb and solitary prayer
Made aquiline, are open to that light.
Though somewhat broken by the leaves, that light
Lies in a circle on the grass; therein
I turn the pages of my holy book.
II
i{Ribb denounces Patrick}
An abstract Greek absurdity has crazed the man --
Recall that masculine Trinity.Man, woman, child (a
daughter or a son),
That's how all natural or supernatural stories run.
Natural and supernatural with the self-same ring are
wed.
As man, as beast, as an ephemeral fly begets, Godhead
begets Godhead,
For things below are copies, the Great Smaragdine
Tablet said.
Yet all must copy copies, all increase their kind;
When the conflagration of their passion sinks, damped
by the body or the mind,
That juggling nature mounts, her coil in their em-
braces twined.
The mirror-scaled serpent is multiplicity,
But all that run in couples, on earth, in flood or air,
share God that is but three,
And could beget or bear themselves could they but
love as He.
III
i{Ribb in Ecstasy}
What matter that you understood no word!
Doubtless I spoke or sang what I had heard
In broken sentences.My soul had found
All happiness in its own cause or ground.
Godhead on Godhead in sexual spasm begot
Godhead.Some shadow fell.My soul forgot
Those amorous cries that out of quiet come
And must the common round of day resume.
IV
i{There}
There all the barrel-hoops are knit,
There all the serpent-tails are bit,
There all the gyres converge in one,
There all the planets drop in the Sun.
V
i{Ribb considers Christian Love insufficient}
Why should I seek for love or study it?
It is of God and passes human wit.
I study hatred with great diligence,
For that's a passion in my own control,
A sort of besom that can clear the soul
Of everything that is not mind or sense.
Why do I hate man, woman Or event?
That is a light my jealous soul has sent.
From terror and deception freed it can
Discover impurities, can show at last
How soul may walk when all such things are past,
How soul could walk before such things began.
Then my delivered soul herself shall learn
A darker knowledge and in hatred turn
From every thought of God mankind has had.
Thought is a garment and the soul's a bride
That cannot in that trash and tinsel hide:
Hatred of God may bring the soul to God.
At stroke of midnight soul cannot endure
A bodily or mental furniture.
What can she take until her Master give!
Where can she look until He make the show!
What can she know until He bid her know!
How can she live till in her blood He live!
VI
i{He and She}
As the moon sidles up
Must she sidle up,
As trips the scared moon
Away must she trip:
"His light had struck me blind
Dared I stop'.
She sings as the moon sings:
"I am I, am I;
The greater grows my light
The further that I fly'.
All creation shivers
With that sweet cry
VII
i{What Magic Drum?}
He holds him from desire, all but stops his breathing
lest
primordial Motherhood forsake his limbs, the child no
longer rest,
Drinking joy as it were milk upon his breast.
Through light-obliterating garden foliage what magic
drum?
Down limb and breast or down that glimmering belly
move his mouth and sinewy tongue.
What from the forest came? What beast has licked its
young?
VIII
i{Whence had they come?}
Eternity is passion, girl or boy
Cry at the onset of their sexual joy
"For ever and for ever'; then awake
Ignorant what Dramatis personae spake;
A passion-driven exultant man sings out
Sentences that he has never thought;
The Flagellant lashes those submissive loins
Ignorant what that dramatist enjoins,
What master made the lash.Whence had they come,
The hand and lash that beat down frigid Rome?
What sacred drama through her body heaved
When world-transforming Charlemagne was con-
ceived?
IX
i{The Four Ages of Man}
He with body waged a fight,
But body won; it walks upright.
Then he struggled with the heart;
Innocence and peace depart.
Then he struggled with the mind;
His proud heart he left behind.
Now his wars on God begin;
At stroke of midnight God shall win.
X
i{Conjunctions}
If Jupiter and Saturn meet,
What a cop of mummy wheat!
The sword's a cross; thereon He died:
On breast of Mars the goddess sighed.
XI
i{A Needle's Eye}
All the stream that's roaring by
Came out of a needle's eye;
Things unborn, things that are gone,
From needle's eye still goad it on.
XII
i{Meru}
Civilisation is hooped together, brought
Under a mle, under the semblance of peace
By manifold illusion; but man's life is thought,
And he, despite his terror, cannot cease
Ravening through century after century,
Ravening, raging, and uprooting that he may come
Into the desolation of reality:
Egypt and Greece, good-bye, and good-bye, Rome!
Hermits upon Mount Meru or Everest,
Caverned in night under the drifted snow,
Or where that snow and winter's dreadful blast
Beat down upon their naked bodies, know
That day brings round the night, that before dawn
His glory and his monuments are gone.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Supernatural Songs by William Butler Yeats: A Critical Interpretation
William Butler Yeats is one of the most celebrated poets of the 20th century who has left an indelible mark on the literary world with his unique style and evocative imagery. Among his many works, one of the most notable is 'Supernatural Songs', a collection of eight poems that explore the world of the supernatural from a uniquely Irish perspective. In this literary criticism and interpretation, we will delve into the themes, motifs, and symbols present in Yeats' 'Supernatural Songs' and try to understand their significance in the context of the poet's larger body of work.
The Themes of Supernatural Songs
At its core, 'Supernatural Songs' is a collection of poems that explore the boundary between the natural and supernatural worlds. Yeats' fascination with the occult and the paranormal is well-documented, and he often drew on Irish mythology and folklore to explore these themes. In 'Supernatural Songs', Yeats continues this tradition, taking us on a journey through the mystical and the magical.
One of the central themes of the collection is the idea of transformation, both physical and spiritual. In the poem 'The Song of Wandering Aengus', for example, we see the protagonist transform from a young man into an old one as he chases the "swirling silver dance" of a "glimmering girl". This transformation is not just physical, but also spiritual, as Aengus is seeking a deeper understanding of the mysteries of life and death.
Another important theme in the collection is the idea of the eternal cycle of life and death. Many of the poems in 'Supernatural Songs' deal with the idea of rebirth, either in a literal or metaphorical sense. In 'The Hosting of the Sidhe', for example, we see the spirits of the dead returning to the world of the living, and in 'The Indian to His Love', we see the lovers transform into swans and fly away to an eternal paradise.
Yet another important theme in the collection is the idea of love and its transformative power. Love, for Yeats, is not just a human emotion, but a force that has the power to create and destroy worlds. In 'The Fiddler of Dooney', for example, we see the power of love to transcend time and space, as the fiddler's music echoes through the ages.
The Motifs and Symbols of Supernatural Songs
Throughout 'Supernatural Songs', Yeats employs a number of motifs and symbols that add depth and richness to the poems. One of the most important of these is the idea of the swan, which appears in several of the poems. The swan is a powerful symbol of transformation, as well as of beauty and grace. In 'The Wild Swans at Coole', we see the poet reflecting on the passage of time and the beauty of nature, while in 'The Indian to His Love', the swans are a symbol of eternal love and transcendence.
Another important motif in the collection is the idea of the fairy folk, or the sidhe. The sidhe are a staple of Irish mythology, and Yeats draws heavily on this tradition in his poems. In 'The Hosting of the Sidhe', for example, we see the spirits of the dead returning to the world of the living, while in 'The Song of Wandering Aengus', we see Aengus searching for his lost love in the realm of the sidhe.
Yet another important symbol in the collection is the idea of music. For Yeats, music is a powerful force that has the power to transport us to other worlds. In 'The Fiddler of Dooney', for example, we see the power of music to transcend time and space, while in 'The Hosting of the Sidhe', the music of the sidhe is a symbol of the supernatural realm.
Conclusion
In conclusion, 'Supernatural Songs' is a collection of poems that explores the world of the supernatural from a uniquely Irish perspective. Through his use of themes, motifs, and symbols, Yeats creates a rich and evocative world that draws on Irish mythology and folklore. The collection is a testament to Yeats' unique vision and his ability to create poetry that is both haunting and beautiful. Whether you are a lover of poetry or a student of Irish mythology, 'Supernatural Songs' is a must-read.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
William Butler Yeats is one of the most celebrated poets of the 20th century. His works are known for their deep symbolism, mysticism, and supernatural themes. Among his most famous works are the Poetry Supernatural Songs, a collection of poems that explore the supernatural world and the mysteries of life. In this article, we will delve into the world of Yeats' Poetry Supernatural Songs and explore the themes, symbols, and meanings behind these hauntingly beautiful poems.
The Poetry Supernatural Songs is a collection of eight poems that were written by Yeats between 1889 and 1895. These poems are known for their mystical and supernatural themes, which reflect Yeats' fascination with the occult and the supernatural. The poems are also known for their use of symbolism, which adds depth and complexity to the poems.
The first poem in the collection is "The Hosting of the Sidhe." This poem is about the Sidhe, a supernatural race of beings in Irish folklore. The poem describes the Sidhe as a beautiful and powerful race of beings who live in a magical world that is hidden from human sight. The poem also describes the Sidhe as being proud and arrogant, and it suggests that they are not to be trifled with.
The second poem in the collection is "The Song of Wandering Aengus." This poem is about a man named Aengus who is searching for his true love. The poem describes Aengus as being a wanderer who is searching for his love in the world of dreams. The poem is filled with symbolism, including the use of the silver apples, which represent the quest for knowledge and enlightenment.
The third poem in the collection is "The Lover Tells of the Rose in His Heart." This poem is about a man who is in love with a woman who is as beautiful as a rose. The poem describes the man's love for the woman as being all-consuming and overwhelming. The poem is filled with imagery, including the use of the rose, which represents the beauty and fragility of love.
The fourth poem in the collection is "The Host of the Air." This poem is about a man who is visited by a supernatural being known as the Host of the Air. The poem describes the Host of the Air as being a powerful and mysterious being who is capable of great feats of magic. The poem is filled with symbolism, including the use of the hawk, which represents the power and freedom of the supernatural world.
The fifth poem in the collection is "The Fisherman." This poem is about a fisherman who is visited by a supernatural being known as the Selkie. The poem describes the Selkie as being a beautiful and mysterious creature who is capable of great feats of magic. The poem is filled with symbolism, including the use of the sea, which represents the vastness and mystery of the supernatural world.
The sixth poem in the collection is "The Fiddler of Dooney." This poem is about a fiddler who is beloved by the people of Dooney. The poem describes the fiddler as being a powerful and charismatic figure who is capable of great feats of magic. The poem is filled with imagery, including the use of the fiddle, which represents the power and magic of music.
The seventh poem in the collection is "The Song of the Happy Shepherd." This poem is about a shepherd who is content with his simple life. The poem describes the shepherd as being at peace with himself and the world around him. The poem is filled with symbolism, including the use of the sheep, which represents the simplicity and purity of the natural world.
The eighth and final poem in the collection is "The Pity of Love." This poem is about the pain and suffering that comes with love. The poem describes love as being a powerful and all-consuming force that can bring both joy and sorrow. The poem is filled with imagery, including the use of the rose, which represents the beauty and fragility of love.
In conclusion, the Poetry Supernatural Songs is a collection of poems that explores the supernatural world and the mysteries of life. These poems are known for their use of symbolism, which adds depth and complexity to the poems. The poems are also known for their hauntingly beautiful imagery, which captures the magic and mystery of the supernatural world. If you are a fan of poetry or the supernatural, then the Poetry Supernatural Songs is a must-read.
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