If a poet interprets a poem of his own he limits its suggestibility.
William Butler YeatsRead
I heard the old, old, men say 'all that's beautiful drifts away, like the waters.'
Interpretation
What this quote means
Beauty is transient and ephemeral, much like water that flows and eventually disappears.
This quote by William Butler Yeats reflects on the nature of beauty and its impermanence. The metaphor of water suggests that just as rivers and streams flow away, so too do moments of beauty and joy in life. It serves as a reminder to appreciate beauty while it lasts, acknowledging that it is fleeting and will eventually drift away.
Themes
BeautyImpermanenceTransienceLifeAppreciation
In practice
Example use cases
This quote is perfect for a graduation speech, reminding graduates to cherish their experiences.
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.
William Butler YeatsRead
But I, being poor, have only my dreams; I have spread my dreams under your feet; Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.
William Butler YeatsRead
How far away the stars seem, and how far is our first kiss, and ah, how old my heart.
William Butler YeatsRead
For he would be thinking of love Till the stars had run away And the shadows eaten the moon.
William Butler YeatsRead
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.
William Butler YeatsRead
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