If a poet interprets a poem of his own he limits its suggestibility.
William Butler YeatsRead
This melancholy London - I sometimes imagine that the souls of the lost are compelled to walk through its streets perpetually. One feels them passing like a whiff of air.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote expresses a deep sense of loss and the haunting presence of souls in the city of London.
William Butler Yeats reflects on the profound melancholia of London, suggesting that the spirits of lost souls roam its streets eternally. This evokes a poignant image of their lingering presence, highlighting themes of loss and the unseen connection between the living and the dead, creating a vivid atmosphere of sorrow intertwined with urban life.
Themes
LondonSoulsMelancholyLossUrbanDeath
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about the history of London, one might use this quote to express the city's profound sense of history and memory.
More from William Butler Yeats
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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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