William Butler Yeats

Reconciliation

Reconciliation - meaning Summary

Loss of Poetic Inspiration

The speaker addresses a loved one whose absence has stripped away his poetic voice and left only grand, lifeless images of kings, helmets, and swords. He acknowledges others might blame her for removing the verses that once moved them. Amid a feverish mix of laughter and tears he urges discarding those hollow trappings and asks her to stay, admitting his thoughts are barren and he is chilled to the bone without her.

Read Complete Analyses

Some may have blamed you that you took away The verses that could move them on the day When, the ears being deafened, the sight of the eyes blind With lightning, you went from me, and I could find Nothing to make a song about but kings, Helmets, and swords, and half-forgotten things That were like memories of you - but now We'll out, for the world lives as long ago; And while we're in our laughing, weeping fit, Hurl helmets, crowns, and swords into the pit. But, dear, cling close to me; since you were gone, My barren thoughts have chilled me to the bone.

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