Yeats When You Are Old Summary

Poem by W.B Yeats

When you are
old and grey and full of sleep,
And nodding
by the fire, take down this book,
And slowly
read, and dream of the soft look
Your eyes
had once, and of their shadows deep;

How many loved your moments of glad grace, And loved your beauty with love false or true, But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you, And loved the sorrows of your changing face;   And bending down beside the glowing bars, Murmur, a little sadly, how Love fled And paced upon the mountains overhead, And hid his face amid a crowd of stars.   And in your deep eyes' azure, I have read The saddest love story ever been told, A man's heart with his own heart co-mingled.   'Tis no wonder that ye should be cold, Considering your great passion was so brief. A lonely impulse of delight Drove to this tumult in the clouds.

"When You Are Old"

 W.B. Yeats' "When You Are Old" is a poignant and introspective reflection on the fleeting nature of beauty and the passage of time. The poem is addressed to Maud Gonne, a prominent figure in Yeats' life and unrequited love, who was a muse and a symbol of Irish nationalism. The poem opens with a contemplative invitation to envision a future time when Gonne, now renowned for her beauty, will have aged. The speaker implores her to sit by the fire in her old age, surrounded by memories, and to recall the adoration she once received. The verses paint a vivid picture of a quiet evening, where Gonne, having left behind the allure of her youth, is urged to read the lines composed for her.

Yeats explores the transitory nature of physical beauty and contrasts it with the enduring power of words. The poem suggests that as Gonne ages, her external attractiveness will diminish, but the verses penned by Yeats will retain their potency. The speaker predicts that in her later years, Gonne will realize the profundity of the love expressed in the lines, and perhaps then, with a softened heart, she will regret rejecting the poet's advances in her youth.

The tone of "When You Are Old" is wistful, carrying a sense of longing and regret. Yeats seems to lament the unreciprocated love he harbored for Gonne. The poem becomes a poignant meditation on the inevitability of aging and the transformative power of poetry to immortalize emotions. It touches upon the themes of unrequited love, the passage of time, and the potential for reflection in later years.

The use of vivid imagery and sensory details enriches the emotional impact of the poem. The mention of the "soft look your eyes had once" and the reference to "murmuring heart" evoke a sense of tenderness and emotional depth. The visual of Gonne sitting alone by the fire, reading the verses, adds a layer of solitude and reflection to the narrative.

The concluding lines of the poem carry a profound message. Yeats acknowledges that Gonne will likely realize the depth of his love when the "glad grace" has fled from her. The repetition of the phrase "And nodding by the fire, take down this book" echoes a sense of resignation and acceptance. The poem, in essence, becomes a reflection on the transformative power of time, the resilience of poetry to capture and transcend ephemeral beauty, and the bittersweet realization that comes with the passage of years.

"When You Are Old" is a timeless piece that transcends its initial context, offering readers a universal reflection on the complexities of love, the inevitability of aging, and the enduring legacy of art. Yeats, through his eloquent verses, invites us to contemplate the intersection of beauty, time, and the written word, leaving an indelible mark on the reader's heart and imagination.

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