W.B. Yeats’s “September 1913” is a scathing commentary on what the poet perceives as Irish society’s descent into materialism and complacency. Written against the backdro⋯ Read the full article

W.B. Yeats composed “In Memory of Major Robert Gregory” to commemorate the life and death of Robert Gregory—son of Yeats’s close friend and patron Lady Augusta Gregory. M⋯ Read the full article

In “A Prayer for My Daughter,” first published in 1919, W.B. Yeats reflects on his newborn daughter’s future, contemplating the turbulent modern world and how best she mi⋯ Read the full article

In Book III of “The Wanderings of Oisin,” W.B. Yeats completes the arc of Oisin’s story. Having traveled countless Faery realms, Oisin once again attempts to return to Ir⋯ Read the full article

In Book II of “The Wanderings of Oisin,” W.B. Yeats extends the epic tale of the legendary hero Oisin and his faery companion, Niamh. Departing the shores of the first en⋯ Read the full article

First published in 1889, “The Wanderings of Oisin” was one of W.B. Yeats’s earliest long poems, composed in three books. Book I introduces the central figures: the legend⋯ Read the full article

“Adam’s Curse” is an early 20th-century poem by W.B. Yeats that delves into the core idea that all things of worth—whether art, beauty, or love—necessitate considerable e⋯ Read the full article

W.B. Yeats’s “The Stolen Child” interlaces Irish folklore and lyrical enchantment, depicting faeries luring a child away from a world fraught with sorrow. The poem opens ⋯ Read the full article

In “The Song of the Happy Shepherd,” Yeats weaves a meditation on the fading of old ideals (represented by the mythical Arcady) and the elusive nature of Truth. Composed ⋯ Read the full article

W.B. Yeats’s “An Irish Airman Foresees His Death” offers a vivid glimpse into the inner thoughts of an Irish pilot serving during World War I. Notably, this pilot does no⋯ Read the full article

W.B. Yeats’s “The Wild Swans at Coole” is set against the backdrop of Coole Park in autumn. At its heart, the poem juxtaposes the timeless grace of swans with the speaker⋯ Read the full article

W.B. Yeats’s “Among School Children” presents the poet, himself a “sixty-year-old smiling public man,” observing a classroom of children. This setting prompts reflections⋯ Read the full article

In “Leda and the Swan,” Yeats reworks a moment from Greek mythology when the god Zeus, disguised as a swan, forcefully encounters the mortal Leda. This deeply unsettling ⋯ Read the full article

W.B. Yeats’s “When You Are Old” is a gentle yet poignant address to a beloved, offering a glimpse into the future when the person has aged. The poem invites the reader to⋯ Read the full article

W.B. Yeats’s poem “Sailing to Byzantium” reveals the speaker’s quest to transcend the physical confines of aging and the sensual distractions of youth. He contrasts a lan⋯ Read the full article