'In Memory Of W.B. Yeats' by W.H. Auden
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I
He disappeared in the dead of winter:
The brooks were frozen, the airports almost deserted,
The snow disfigured the public statues;
The mercury sank in the mouth of the dying day.
What instruments we have agree
The day of his death was a dark cold day.
Far from his illness
The wolves ran on through the evergreen forests,
The peasant river was untempted by the fashionable quays;
By mourning tongues
The death of the poet was kept from his poems.
But for him it was his last afternoon as himself,
An afternoon of nurses and rumours;
The provinces of his body revolted,
The squares of his mind were empty,
Silence invaded the suburbs,
The current of his feeling failed; he became his admirers.
Now he is scattered among a hundred cities
And wholly given over to unfamiliar affections,
To find his happiness in another kind of wood
And be punished under a foreign code of conscience.
The words of a dead man
Are modified in the guts of the living.
But in the importance and noise of to-morrow
When the brokers are roaring like beasts on the floor of the Bourse,
And the poor have the sufferings to which they are fairly accustomed,
And each in the cell of himself is almost convinced of his freedom,
A few thousand will think of this day
As one thinks of a day when one did something slightly unusual.
What instruments we have agree
The day of his death was a dark cold day.
II
You were silly like us; your gift survived it all:
The parish of rich women, physical decay,
Yourself. Mad Ireland hurt you into poetry.
Now Ireland has her madness and her weather still,
For poetry makes nothing happen: it survives
In the valley of its making where executives
Would never want to tamper, flows on south
From ranches of isolation and the busy griefs,
Raw towns that we believe and die in; it survives,
A way of happening, a mouth.
III
Earth, receive an honoured guest:
William Yeats is laid to rest.
Let the Irish vessel lie
Emptied of its poetry.
In the nightmare of the dark
All the dogs of Europe bark,
And the living nations wait,
Each sequestered in its hate;
Intellectual disgrace
Stares from every human face,
And the seas of pity lie
Locked and frozen in each eye.
Follow, poet, follow right
To the bottom of the night,
With your unconstraining voice
Still persuade us to rejoice.
With the farming of a verse
Make a vineyard of the curse,
Sing of human unsuccess
In a rapture of distress.
In the deserts of the heart
Let the healing fountains start,
In the prison of his days
Teach the free man how to praise.
Editor 1 Interpretation
In Memory Of W.B. Yeats: A Poem By W.H. Auden
Are you a fan of poetry? Have you ever heard of W.B. Yeats or W.H. Auden? If not, you are in for a treat, because today we will be diving deep into the world of poetry and exploring one of the most famous poems of the 20th century, "In Memory Of W.B. Yeats" by W.H. Auden.
Introduction
"In Memory Of W.B. Yeats" is a poem that was written by W.H. Auden in 1939, shortly after the death of the Irish poet, W.B. Yeats. The poem is considered one of Auden's greatest works and is often cited as a prime example of elegiac poetry, which is poetry that is written to mourn or commemorate someone who has died.
The poem is known for its complex structure and its use of various literary devices, such as allusions, apostrophes, and imagery. It is also famous for its powerful themes of mortality, the passing of time, and the role of the poet in society.
Overview
The poem is divided into three parts, each of which deals with a different aspect of Yeats' life and work. The first part is a lament for Yeats' death and a meditation on the nature of mortality. The second part is an examination of Yeats' career as a poet and his relationship to his audience. The third part is a call to action for the poets of the future.
Part I: Lament
The poem begins with a powerful apostrophe to the deceased poet, "He disappeared in the dead of winter". This opening line sets the tone for the rest of the poem, which is filled with somber imagery and mourning. The speaker laments the loss of Yeats and speaks of his own mortality, saying, "we must love one another or die".
The first part of the poem is filled with powerful images of death and decay, such as "the dripping blood our only drink", and "the sky is darkening like a stain". The speaker reflects on the transitory nature of life and the inevitability of death, saying, "Time that is intolerant of the brave and innocent, / And indifferent in a week to a beautiful physique, / Worships language and forgives / Everyone by whom it lives".
Part II: Examination
The second part of the poem is an examination of Yeats' career as a poet and his relationship to his audience. The speaker speaks of Yeats' reputation as a great poet and reflects on the role of the poet in society. He says that Yeats "became his admirers", meaning that he came to embody the ideals and values of his audience.
The speaker also reflects on the nature of poetry and its relationship to the world. He says that poetry is "a way of happening, a mouth", and that it is the poet's responsibility to use this mouth to speak truth to power.
Part III: Call to Action
The final part of the poem is a call to action for the poets of the future. The speaker urges them to "Follow, poet, follow right / To the bottom of the night, / With your unconstraining voice / Still persuade us to rejoice".
He speaks of the importance of poetry in a world that is often cruel and indifferent, saying, "In the deserts of the heart / Let the healing fountain start, / In the prison of his days / Teach the free man how to praise".
Interpretation
So what does this poem mean? What is its significance? There are many ways to interpret "In Memory Of W.B. Yeats", but one of the most common interpretations is that it is a meditation on the nature of poetry and its role in society.
The first part of the poem is a lament for Yeats' death and a reflection on the inevitability of mortality. The speaker reflects on the transitory nature of life and the importance of love and compassion in the face of death. This part of the poem can be seen as a reflection on the human condition and the need for empathy and connection in a world that is often harsh and unforgiving.
The second part of the poem is an examination of Yeats' career as a poet and his relationship to his audience. The speaker reflects on the nature of poetry and its relationship to the world, arguing that poetry is a "way of happening" and that it is the poet's responsibility to use their voice to speak truth to power.
The third part of the poem is a call to action for the poets of the future. The speaker urges them to follow in Yeats' footsteps and use their voices to bring healing and joy to the world. This part of the poem can be seen as a reflection on the importance of art and its role in shaping our society.
Conclusion
"In Memory Of W.B. Yeats" is a powerful and complex poem that deals with many themes and ideas. It is a meditation on the nature of poetry and its relationship to the world, as well as a reflection on mortality and the human condition. The poem is famous for its powerful imagery and its use of various literary devices, as well as its themes of love, compassion, and the role of the artist in society.
Overall, "In Memory Of W.B. Yeats" is a masterpiece of elegiac poetry and a testament to the power of art to inspire and transform our world. If you are a fan of poetry or a lover of great literature, this is definitely a poem that you should read and reflect upon.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
In Memory Of W.B. Yeats: A Poetic Eulogy by W.H. Auden
W.H. Auden's "In Memory Of W.B. Yeats" is a powerful and moving tribute to one of the greatest poets of the 20th century. Written in 1939, shortly after Yeats' death, the poem is a reflection on the life and work of the Irish poet, as well as a meditation on the nature of poetry and the role of the poet in society.
At its core, "In Memory Of W.B. Yeats" is a eulogy, a lament for a great artist who has passed away. Auden begins by describing Yeats' death as a "disaster" and a "terrible beauty," a phrase that captures the paradoxical nature of death itself. Death is both tragic and beautiful, a reminder of the transience of life and the power of art to transcend it.
Auden goes on to describe Yeats as a "poet of the world," a phrase that suggests both the breadth and depth of Yeats' work. Yeats was a poet who was deeply engaged with the world around him, who wrote about politics, history, and culture with a keen eye and a sharp wit. But he was also a poet who was deeply attuned to the mysteries of the human soul, who explored the depths of human experience with a profound sensitivity and insight.
Auden's tribute to Yeats is not just a celebration of his life and work, however. It is also a meditation on the nature of poetry itself, and the role of the poet in society. Auden suggests that the poet is a kind of prophet, a visionary who sees beyond the surface of things to the deeper truths that lie beneath. The poet is a guide, a teacher, a voice of wisdom and insight in a world that is often confused and chaotic.
But the poet is also a human being, subject to the same fears and doubts as anyone else. Auden acknowledges this in the poem, describing Yeats as a man who was "mad in the pursuit of the maddest truth." Yeats was a poet who was willing to risk everything in his quest for knowledge and understanding, who was willing to confront the darkest aspects of human experience in order to find meaning and purpose in life.
Auden's tribute to Yeats is a powerful reminder of the importance of poetry in our lives. Poetry is not just a form of entertainment or a way to pass the time. It is a vital part of our cultural heritage, a means of exploring the deepest truths of the human experience. It is a way of connecting with the past, of understanding the present, and of imagining the future.
But poetry is also a way of connecting with one another, of sharing our experiences and our emotions with others. It is a way of building bridges between people, of creating a sense of community and shared purpose. In this sense, poetry is not just a solitary pursuit, but a social one as well.
"In Memory Of W.B. Yeats" is a testament to the power of poetry to inspire and uplift us, to help us make sense of the world around us, and to connect us with one another. It is a tribute to one of the greatest poets of the 20th century, and a reminder of the enduring importance of his work. But it is also a call to all of us to embrace the power of poetry in our own lives, to seek out the truths that lie beneath the surface of things, and to share our experiences and our emotions with others.
In conclusion, "In Memory Of W.B. Yeats" is a powerful and moving tribute to one of the greatest poets of the 20th century. It is a reflection on the nature of poetry and the role of the poet in society, as well as a meditation on the transience of life and the power of art to transcend it. It is a reminder of the enduring importance of poetry in our lives, and a call to all of us to embrace its power and its beauty.
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