If a poet interprets a poem of his own he limits its suggestibility.
William Butler YeatsRead
It is so many years before one can believe enough in what one feels even to know what the feeling is
Interpretation
What this quote means
Understanding our emotions takes time and introspection.
This quote by William Butler Yeats reflects on the complexities of human emotions and the struggle to truly comprehend one’s feelings. It suggests that it often takes years of experience and reflection before we can fully believe in and articulate what we feel, highlighting the deep interplay between time, understanding, and emotional awareness.
Themes
EmotionUnderstandingReflectionFeelingsSelf-Awareness
In practice
Example use cases
During a workshop on emotional intelligence, I quoted Yeats to emphasize the journey of understanding our emotions.
More from William Butler Yeats
All quotes →It was my first meeting with a philosophy that confirmed my vague speculations and seemed at once logical and boundless.
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But I, being poor, have only my dreams; I have spread my dreams under your feet; Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.
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How far away the stars seem, and how far is our first kiss, and ah, how old my heart.
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For he would be thinking of love Till the stars had run away And the shadows eaten the moon.
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Love is created and preserved by intellectual analysis, for we love only that which is unique, and it belongs to contemplation, not to action, for we would not change that which we love.
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