If a poet interprets a poem of his own he limits its suggestibility.
William Butler YeatsRead
but one loses, as one grows older, something of the lightness of one's dreams; one begins to take life up in both hands, and to care more for the fruit than the flower, and that is no great loss perhaps.
Interpretation
What this quote means
As we age, we may become more pragmatic, prioritizing tangible results over the whimsical nature of dreams.
In this quote, William Butler Yeats reflects on the inevitability of growing older and the shift in perspective that often accompanies this process. He suggests that while we may lose the lightness and whimsicality of our youthful dreams, we gain a more mature understanding of life, focusing on what is practical and meaningful. Emphasizing the value of the 'fruit' over the 'flower', Yeats implies that this transition is a natural part of life, and perhaps it's not a loss, but rather a gain in wisdom and reality.
Themes
AgeDreamsWisdomLifePerspective
In practice
Example use cases
In a graduation speech to remind students that now is the time to chase dreams before adult responsibilities set in.
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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