IRISH-IN-UK-L Archives

From: "Jean R." <>
Subject: [Irish-in-UK] "The Wild Swans at Coole" - Dublin/London's WilliamButler YEATS (1865-1939)
Date: Thu, 8 Jan 2009 13:48:46 -0800

THE WILD SWANS AT COOLE

The trees are in their autumn beauty,
The woodland paths are dry,
Under the October twilight the water
Mirrors a still sky;
Upon the brimming water among the stones
Are nine-and-fifty swans.

The nineteenth autum has come upon me
Since I first made my count;
I saw, before I had well finished,
All suddenly mount
And scatter wheeling in great broken rings
Upon their clamorous wings.

I have looked upon those brilliant creatures,
And now my heart is sore.
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.

Unwearied still, lover by lover
They paddle in the cold
Companionable streams or climb the air;
Their hearts have not grown old;
Passion or conquest, wander where they will,
Attend upon them still.

But now they drift on the still water,
Mysterious, beautiful;
Among what rushes will they build,
By what lake's edge or pool
Delight men's eyes when I awake some day
To find they have flown away?

-- William Butler Yeats, 1917.

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• [Irish-in-UK] "The Wild Swans at Coole" - Dublin/London's WilliamButler YEATS (1865-1939) by "Jean R." <>