William Butler Yeats

Her Anxiety

Her Anxiety - meaning Summary

Love's Inevitable Decline

The poem argues that romantic love is transient and inevitably diminishes. It opens with an image of seasonal renewal only to assert that even true love must die or change into something lesser. The speaker then generalizes about physical lovers, claiming their bodies and breath bring love closer to death. The repeated challenge "Prove that I lie" frames the lines as a provocation and a confident, bleak claim about love’s fate.

Read Complete Analyses

Earth in beauty dressed Awaits returning spring. All true love must die, Alter at the best Into some lesser thing. Prove that I lie. Such body lovers have, Such exacting breath, That they touch or sigh. Every touch they give, Love is nearer death. Prove that I lie.

default user
PoetryVerse just now

Feel free to be first to leave comment.

8/2200 - 0