William Butler Yeats

Poems by William Butler Yeats

William Butler Yeats (13 June 1865 – 28 January 1939) was an Irish poet, dramatist and writer, and one of the foremost figures of 20th-century literature. He was a driving force behind the Irish Literary Revival, and along with Lady Gregory founded the Abbey Theatre, serving as its chief during its early years. He was awarded the 1923 Nobel Prize in Literature, and later served two terms as a Senator of the Irish Free State.

A Protestant of Anglo-Irish descent, Yeats was born in Sandymount, Ireland. His father practised law and was a successful portrait painter. He was educated in Dublin and London and spent his childhood holidays in County Sligo. He studied poetry from an early age, when he became fascinated by Irish legends and the occult. While in London he became part of the Irish literary revival. His early poetry was influenced by John Keats, William Wordsworth, William Blake and many more. These topics feature in the first phase of his work, lasting roughly from his student days at the Metropolitan School of Art in Dublin until the turn of the century. His earliest volume of verse was published in 1889, and its slow-paced, modernist and lyrical poems display debts to Edmund Spenser, Percy Bysshe Shelley and the poets of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood.

From 1900 his poetry grew more physical, realistic and politicised. He moved away from the transcendental beliefs of his youth, though he remained preoccupied with some elements including cyclical theories of life. He had become the chief playwright for the Irish Literary Theatre in 1897, and early on promoted younger poets such as Ezra Pound. His major works include The Land of Heart's Desire (1894), Cathleen ni Houlihan (1902), Deirdre (1907), The Wild Swans at Coole (1919), The Tower (1928) and Last Poems and Plays (1940).

Poems

  • "Slim adolescence that a nymph has stripped," Read Poem
  • A Bronze Head Read Poem
  • A Coat Read Poem
  • A Cradle Song Read Poem
  • A Crazed Girl Read Poem
  • A Deep Sworn Vow Read Poem
  • A Dialogue Of Self And Soul Read Poem
  • A Dramatic Poem Read Poem
  • A Dream Of A Blessed Spirit Read Poem
  • A Dream Of Death Read Poem
  • A Drinking Song Read Poem
  • A Drunken Man's Praise Of Sobriety Read Poem
  • A Faery Song Read Poem
  • A First Confession Read Poem
  • A Friend's Illness Read Poem
  • A Last Confession Read Poem
  • A Lover's Quarrel Among the Fairies Read Poem
  • A Man Young And Old - Complete Read Poem
  • A Man Young And Old: I. First Love Read Poem
  • A Man Young And Old: II. Human Dignity Read Poem
  • A Man Young And Old: III. The Mermaid Read Poem
  • A Man Young And Old: IV. The Death Of The Hare Read Poem
  • A Man Young And Old: IX. The Secrets Of The Old Read Poem
  • A Man Young And Old: V. The Empty Cup Read Poem
  • A Man Young And Old: VI. His Memories Read Poem
  • A Man Young And Old: VII. The Friends Of His Youth Read Poem
  • A Man Young And Old: VIII. Summer And Spring Read Poem
  • A Man Young And Old: X. His Wildness Read Poem
  • A Man Young And Old: XI. From Oedipus At Colonus Read Poem
  • A Meditation in Time of War Read Poem
  • A Memory Of Youth Read Poem
  • A Model For The Laureate Read Poem
  • A Nativity Read Poem
  • A Poet To His Beloved Read Poem
  • A Prayer For My Daughter Read Poem
  • A Prayer For My Son Read Poem
  • A Prayer For Old Age Read Poem
  • A Prayer On Going Into My House Read Poem
  • A Song Read Poem
  • A Song From 'The Player Queen' Read Poem
  • A Stick Of Incense Read Poem
  • A Thought From Propertius Read Poem
  • A Woman Homer Sung Read Poem
  • A Woman Young And Old Read Poem
  • Adam's Curse Read Poem
  • Aedh: He Wishes For The Cloths Of Heaven Read Poem
  • After Long Silence Read Poem
  • Against Unworthy Praise Read Poem
  • All Souls' Night Read Poem
  • All Things Can Tempt Me Read Poem
  • Alternative Song For The Severed Head In `The King Of The Great Clock Tower' Read Poem
  • Among School Children Read Poem
  • An Acre Of Grass Read Poem
  • An Appointment Read Poem
  • An Image From A Past Life Read Poem
  • An Irish Airman Foresees His Death Read Poem
  • Anashuya And Vijaya Read Poem
  • Another Song of a Fool Read Poem
  • Another Song Of A Fool Read Poem
  • Are You Content? Read Poem
  • At Algeciras - A Meditaton Upon Death Read Poem
  • At Galway Races Read Poem
  • At The Abbey Theatre Read Poem
  • Baile And Aillinn Read Poem
  • Beautiful Lofty Things Read Poem
  • Before The World Was Made Read Poem
  • Beggar To Beggar Cried Read Poem
  • Blood And The Moon Read Poem
  • Broken Dreams Read Poem
  • Brown Penny Read Poem
  • Byzantium Read Poem
  • Church And State Read Poem
  • Colonel Martin Read Poem
  • Colonus' Praise Read Poem
  • Come Gather Round Me, Parnellites Read Poem
  • Consolation Read Poem
  • Coole Park 1929 Read Poem
  • Coole Park And Ballylee, 1931 Read Poem
  • Crazy Jane And Jack The Journeyman Read Poem
  • Crazy Jane And The Bishop Read Poem
  • Crazy Jane Grown Old Looks At The Dancers Read Poem
  • Crazy Jane On God Read Poem
  • Crazy Jane On The Day Of Judgment Read Poem
  • Crazy Jane On The Mountain Read Poem
  • Crazy Jane Reproved Read Poem
  • Crazy Jane Talks With The Bishop Read Poem
  • Cuchulain Comforted Read Poem
  • Cuchulain's Fight With The Sea Read Poem
  • Death Read Poem
  • Demon And Beast Read Poem
  • Do Not Love Too Long Read Poem
  • Down By The Salley Gardens Read Poem
  • Easter 1916 Read Poem
  • Ego Dominus Tuus Read Poem
  • Ephemera Read Poem
  • Fallen Majesty Read Poem
  • Father And Child Read Poem
  • Fergus And The Druid Read Poem
  • Fiddler Of Dooney Read Poem
  • For Anne Gregory Read Poem
  • Fragments Read Poem
  • Friends Read Poem
  • From A Full Moon In March Read Poem
  • From The 'Antigone' Read Poem
  • Girl's Song Read Poem
  • Gratitude To The Unknown Instructors Read Poem
  • He Bids His Beloved Be At Peace Read Poem
  • He Gives His Beloved Certain Rhymes Read Poem
  • He Hears The Cry Of The Sedge Read Poem
  • He Mourns For The Change That Has Come Upon Him And His Beloved, And Longs For The End Of The World Read Poem
  • He Remembers Forgotten Beauty Read Poem
  • He Reproves The Curlew Read Poem
  • He Tells Of A Valley Full Of Lovers Read Poem
  • He Tells Of The Perfect Beauty Read Poem
  • He Thinks Of His Past Greatness When A Part Of The Constellations Of Heaven Read Poem
  • He Thinks Of Those Who Have Spoken Evil Of His Beloved Read Poem
  • He Wishes His Beloved Were Dead Read Poem
  • Her Anxiety Read Poem
  • Her Dream Read Poem
  • Her Praise Read Poem
  • Her Triumph Read Poem
  • Her Vision In The Wood Read Poem
  • High Talk Read Poem
  • His Bargain Read Poem
  • His Confidence Read Poem
  • His Dream Read Poem
  • His Phoenix Read Poem
  • Hound Voice Read Poem
  • I Am Of Ireland Read Poem
  • Imitated From The Japanese Read Poem
  • In Memory Of Alfred Pollexfen Read Poem
  • In Memory Of Eva Gore-Booth And Con Markiewicz Read Poem
  • In Memory Of Major Robert Gregory Read Poem
  • In Tara's Halls Read Poem
  • In The Seven Woods Read Poem
  • Into The Twilight Read Poem
  • John Kinsella's Lament For Mr. Mary Moore Read Poem
  • King And No King Read Poem
  • Lapis Lazuli Read Poem
  • Leda And The Swan Read Poem
  • Lines Written In Dejection Read Poem
  • Long-Legged Fly Read Poem
  • Love Song Read Poem
  • Love's Loneliness Read Poem
  • Lullaby Read Poem
  • Mad As The Mist And Snow Read Poem
  • Maid Quiet Read Poem
  • Meditations In Time Of Civil War Read Poem
  • Meeting Read Poem
  • Memory Read Poem
  • Men Improve With The Years Read Poem
  • Meru Read Poem
  • Michael Robartes And The Dancer Read Poem
  • Mohini Chatterjee Read Poem
  • Never Give All The Heart Read Poem
  • News For The Delphic Oracle Read Poem
  • Nineteen Hundred And Nineteen Read Poem
  • No Second Troy Read Poem
  • Now as at all times Read Poem
  • Oil And Blood Read Poem
  • Old Memory Read Poem
  • Old Tom Again Read Poem
  • On A Picture Of A Black Centaur By Edmund Dulac Read Poem
  • On A Political Prisoner Read Poem
  • On Being Asked For A War Poem Read Poem
  • On Hearing That The Students Of Our New University Have Joined The Agitation Against Immoral Literat Read Poem
  • On Those That Hated The 'Playboy Of The Western World,' 1907 Read Poem
  • On Woman Read Poem
  • Owen Aherne And His Dancers Read Poem
  • Parnell Read Poem
  • Parnell's Funeral Read Poem
  • Parting Read Poem
  • Paudeen Read Poem
  • Peace Read Poem
  • Politics Read Poem
  • Presences Read Poem
  • Quarrel In Old Age Read Poem
  • Reconciliation Read Poem
  • Red Hanrahan's Song About Ireland Read Poem
  • Remorse For Intemperate Speech Read Poem
  • Responsibilities - Closing Read Poem
  • Responsibilities - Introduction Read Poem
  • Roger Casement Read Poem
  • Running To Paradise Read Poem
  • Sailing to Byzantium Read Poem
  • September 1913 Read Poem
  • Shepherd And Goatherd Read Poem
  • Sixteen Dead Men Read Poem
  • Solomon And The Witch Read Poem
  • Solomon To Sheba Read Poem
  • Spilt Milk Read Poem
  • Statistics Read Poem
  • Stream And Sun At Glendalough Read Poem
  • Supernatural Songs Read Poem
  • Sweet Dancer Read Poem
  • Swift's Epitaph Read Poem
  • Symbols Read Poem
  • That The Night Come Read Poem
  • The Apparitions Read Poem
  • The Arrow Read Poem
  • The Attack On ‘the Playboy Of The Western World,’ 1907 Read Poem
  • The Ballad Of Father Gilligan Read Poem
  • The Ballad Of Father O'Hart Read Poem
  • The Ballad Of Moll Magee Read Poem
  • The Ballad Of The Foxhunter Read Poem
  • The Balloon Of The Mind Read Poem
  • The Black Fool's Speech Read Poem
  • The Black Tower Read Poem
  • The Blessed Read Poem
  • The Cap And Bells Read Poem
  • The Cat And The Moon Read Poem
  • The Chambermaid's First Song Read Poem
  • The Chambermaid's Second Song Read Poem
  • The Choice Read Poem
  • The Chosen Read Poem
  • The Circus Animals' Desertion Read Poem
  • The Cloak, The Boat And The Shoes Read Poem
  • The Cold Heaven Read Poem
  • The Collar-Bone Of A Hare Read Poem
  • The Coming Of Wisdom With Time Read Poem
  • The Countess Cathleen In Paradise Read Poem
  • The Crazed Moon Read Poem
  • The Curse Of Cromwell Read Poem
  • The Dancer At Cruachan And Cro-Patrick Read Poem
  • The Dawn Read Poem
  • The Death of Cuchulain Read Poem
  • The Dedication To A Book Of Stories Selected From The Irish Novelists Read Poem
  • The Delphic Oracle Upon Plotinus Read Poem
  • The Dolls Read Poem
  • The Double Vision Of Michael Robartes Read Poem
  • The Everlasting Voices Read Poem
  • The Fairy Pendant Read Poem
  • The Falling Of The Leaves Read Poem
  • The Fascination Of What's Difficult Read Poem
  • The Fish Read Poem
  • The Fisherman Read Poem
  • The Folly Of Being Comforted Read Poem
  • The Fool By The Roadside Read Poem
  • The Ghost Of Roger Casement Read Poem
  • The Gift Of Harun Al-Rashid Read Poem
  • The Great Day Read Poem
  • The Grey Rock Read Poem
  • The Gyres Read Poem
  • The Happy Townland Read Poem
  • The Hawk Read Poem
  • The Heart Of The Woman Read Poem
  • The Host Of The Air Read Poem
  • The Hosting Of The Sidhe Read Poem
  • The Hour Before Dawn Read Poem
  • The Indian To His Love Read Poem
  • The Indian Upon God Read Poem
  • The Lady's First Song Read Poem
  • The Lady's Second Song Read Poem
  • The Lady's Third Song Read Poem
  • The Lake Isle Of Innisfree Read Poem
  • The Lamentation Of The Old Pensioner Read Poem
  • The Leaders Of The Crowd Read Poem
  • The Living Beauty Read Poem
  • The Lover Asks Forgiveness Because Of His Many Moods Read Poem
  • The Lover Mourns For The Loss Of Love Read Poem
  • The Lover Pleads With His Friend For Old Friends Read Poem
  • The Lover Speaks To The Hearers Of His Songs In Coming Days Read Poem
  • The Lover Tells Of The Rose In His Heart Read Poem
  • The Lover's Song Read Poem
  • The Madness Of King Goll Read Poem
  • The Magi Read Poem
  • The Man And The Echo Read Poem
  • The Man Who Dreamed Of Faeryland Read Poem
  • The Mask Read Poem
  • The Meditation Of The Old Fisherman Read Poem
  • The Moods Read Poem
  • The Mother Of God Read Poem
  • The Mountain Tomb Read Poem
  • The Municipal Gallery Revisited Read Poem
  • The New Faces Read Poem
  • The Nineteenth Century And After Read Poem
  • The O'Rahilly Read Poem
  • The Old Age Of Queen Maeve Read Poem
  • The Old Men Admiring Themselves In The Water Read Poem
  • The Old Pensioner. Read Poem
  • The Old Stone Cross Read Poem
  • The Peacock Read Poem
  • The People Read Poem
  • The Phases Of The Moon Read Poem
  • The Pilgrim Read Poem
  • The Pity Of Love Read Poem
  • The Players Ask For A Blessing On The Psalteries And On Themselves Read Poem
  • The Poet Pleads With The Elemental Powers Read Poem
  • The Ragged Wood Read Poem
  • The Realists Read Poem
  • The Results Of Thought Read Poem
  • The Rose In The Deeps Of His Heart Read Poem
  • The Rose Of Battle Read Poem
  • The Rose Of Peace Read Poem
  • The Rose Of The World Read Poem
  • The Rose Tree Read Poem
  • The Sad Shepherd Read Poem
  • The Saint And The Hunchback Read Poem
  • The Scholars Read Poem
  • The Second Coming Read Poem
  • The Secret Rose Read Poem
  • The Seven Sages Read Poem
  • The Shadowy Waters: Introduction Read Poem
  • The Shadowy Waters: The Harp Of Aengus Read Poem
  • The Shadowy Waters: The Shadowy Waters Read Poem
  • The Song Of The Happy Shepherd Read Poem
  • The Song Of The Old Mother Read Poem
  • The Song Of Wandering Aengus Read Poem
  • The Sorrow Of Love Read Poem
  • The Spirit Medium Read Poem
  • The Spur Read Poem
  • The Statesman's Holiday Read Poem
  • The Statues Read Poem
  • The Stolen Child Read Poem
  • The Three Beggars Read Poem
  • The Three Bushes Read Poem
  • The Three Hermits Read Poem
  • The Three Monuments Read Poem
  • The Tower Read Poem
  • The Travail Of Passion Read Poem
  • The Two Kings Read Poem
  • The Two Trees Read Poem
  • The Unappeasable Host Read Poem
  • The Valley Of The Black Pig Read Poem
  • The Wanderings Of Oisin: Book I Read Poem
  • The Wanderings Of Oisin: Book II Read Poem
  • The Wanderings Of Oisin: Book III Read Poem
  • The Wheel Read Poem
  • The White Birds Read Poem
  • The Wild Old Wicked Man Read Poem
  • The Wild Swans At Coole Read Poem
  • The Winding Stair Read Poem
  • The Witch Read Poem
  • The Withering Of The Boughs Read Poem
  • These Are The Clouds Read Poem
  • Those Dancing Days Are Gone Read Poem
  • Those Images Read Poem
  • Three Marching Songs Read Poem
  • Three Movements Read Poem
  • Three Songs To The One Burden Read Poem
  • Three Songs To The Same Tune Read Poem
  • Three Things Read Poem
  • To A Child Dancing In The Wind Read Poem
  • To A Friend Whose Work Has Come To Nothing Read Poem
  • To A Poet, Who Would Have Me Praise Certain Bad Poets, Imitators Of His And Mine Read Poem
  • To A Shade Read Poem
  • To A Squirrel At Kyle-Na-No Read Poem
  • To A Wealthy Man Who Promised A Second Subscription To The Dublin Municipal Gallery If It Were Prove Read Poem
  • To A Young Beauty Read Poem
  • To A Young Girl Read Poem
  • To An Isle In The Water Read Poem
  • To Be Carved On A Stone At Thoor Ballylee Read Poem
  • To Dorothy Wellesley Read Poem
  • To His Heart, Bidding It Have No Fear Read Poem
  • To Ireland In The Coming Times Read Poem
  • To Some I Have Talked With By The Fire Read Poem
  • To The Rose Upon The Rood Of Time Read Poem
  • Tom At Cruachan Read Poem
  • Tom O'Roughley Read Poem
  • Tom The Lunatic Read Poem
  • Towards Break Of Day Read Poem
  • Two Songs From A Play Read Poem
  • Two Songs Of A Fool Read Poem
  • Two Songs Rewritten For The Tune's Sake Read Poem
  • Two Years Later Read Poem
  • Under Ben Bulben Read Poem
  • Under Saturn Read Poem
  • Under The Moon Read Poem
  • Under The Round Tower Read Poem
  • Upon A Dying Lady Read Poem
  • Upon A House Shaken By The Land Agitation Read Poem
  • Vacillation Read Poem
  • Veronica's Napkin Read Poem
  • What Then? Read Poem
  • What Was Lost Read Poem
  • When Helen Lived Read Poem
  • When You Are Old Read Poem
  • Where My Books go Read Poem
  • Who Goes With Fergus? Read Poem
  • Why Should Not Old Men Be Mad? Read Poem
  • Wisdom Read Poem
  • Words Read Poem
  • Young Man's Song Read Poem
  • Youth And Age Read Poem
  • The Cap and Bells Read Poem
  • The Circus Animals’ Desertion Read Poem
  • Crazy Jane Talks with the Bishop Read Poem
  • A Dialogue of Self and Soul Read Poem
  • Down By the Salley Gardens Read Poem
  • Easter, 1916 Read Poem
  • The Fascination of What’s Difficult Read Poem
  • He wishes his Beloved were Dead Read Poem
  • In Memory of Eva Gore-Booth and Con Markievicz Read Poem
  • An Irish Airman foresees his Death Read Poem
  • The Lake Isle of Innisfree Read Poem
  • Leda and the Swan Read Poem
  • A Meditation in Time of War Read Poem
  • Never give all the Heart Read Poem
  • On a Political Prisoner Read Poem
  • On being asked for a War Poem Read Poem
  • A Prayer for My Daughter Read Poem
  • The Song of the Happy Shepherd Read Poem
  • The Song of Wandering Aengus Read Poem
  • The Sorrow of Love Read Poem
  • To a Friend Whose Work Has Come to Nothing Read Poem
  • To an Isle in the Water Read Poem
  • To Ireland in the Coming Times Read Poem
  • To the Rose upon the Rood of Time Read Poem
  • The Wild Swans at Coole Read Poem
  • All Souls’ Night Read Poem