Poetry Bookclub: Yeats's The Wild Swans at Coole
JBI recently suggested that we start a poetry bookclub, and the idea quickly drew interest. We threw out a few possible topics for conversation, but eventually settled on Yeats's collection of poems The Wild Swans at Coole. There are two version of this collection. The first was published in 1917 and included 23 poems and a play. Yeats later republished the collection without the play, and added 17 additional poems in 1919. JBI didn't say which version he meant, but I'm assuming it's the later 1919 edition. You can find it online here: http://www.bartleby.com/148/index1.html. We'll start with the first poem in the series which is the title poem "The Wild Swans at Coole," and work our way down the list. So, here's
Quote:
THE TREES are in their autumn beauty,
The woodland paths are dry,
Under the October twilight the water
Mirrors a still sky;
Upon the brimming water among the stones 5
Are nine and fifty swans.
The nineteenth Autumn has come upon me
Since I first made my count;
I saw, before I had well finished,
All suddenly mount 10
And scatter wheeling in great broken rings
Upon their clamorous wings.
I have looked upon those brilliant creatures,
And now my heart is sore.
All’s changed since I, hearing at twilight, 15
The first time on this shore,
The bell-beat of their wings above my head,
Trod with a lighter tread.
Unwearied still, lover by lover,
They paddle in the cold, 20
Companionable streams or climb the air;
Their hearts have not grown old;
Passion or conquest, wander where they will,
Attend upon them still.
But now they drift on the still water 25
Mysterious, beautiful;
Among what rushes will they build,
By what lake’s edge or pool
Delight men’s eyes, when I awake some day
To find they have flown away? 30
Hopefully, this will get the conversation going. I'll start commenting tomorrow when I have more time.