"How can I, that girl standing there, My attention fix On Roman or on Russian Or on Spanish politics?"
Read quote
3 likes
Quote collection
William Butler Yeats quotes (page 26 of 30)
591 quotes — follow a thought to its full quote page.
"The old priest Peter Gilligan Was weary night and day; For half his flock were in their beds, Or under green sods lay."
Read quote
3 likes
"As man, as beast, as an ephemeral fly begets, Godhead begets Godhead, For things below are copies, the Great Smaragdine Tablet said. Yet all must copy copies, all increase their kind."
Read quote
3 likes
"Though logic-choppers rule the town, And every man and maid and boy Has marked a distant object down, An aimless joy is a pure joy."
Read quote
3 likes
"The world being illusive, one must be deluded in some way if one is to triumph in it."
Read quote
3 likes
"In mockery I have set A powerful emblem up, And sing it rhyme upon rhyme In mockery of a time Half dead at the top."
Read quote
3 likes
"Once more the storm is howling, and half hid Under this cradle-hood and coverlid My child sleeps on."
Read quote
3 likes
"The common breeds the common, A lout begets a lout, So when I take on half a score I knock their heads about."
Read quote
3 likes
"Now must we sing and sing the best we can, But first you must be told your character: Convicted cowards all, by kindred slain."
Read quote
3 likes
"I am of a healthy long lived race, and our minds improve with age."
Read quote
3 likes
"My curse on plays That have to be set up in fifty ways, On the day's war with every knave and dolt, Theater business, management of men."
Read quote
3 likes
"even The bed of love, that in the imagination Had seemed to be the giver of all peace, Is no more than a wine-cup in the tasting, And as soon finished."
Read quote
3 likes
"Between extremities Man runs his course; A brand, or flaming breath, Comes to destroy All those antinomies Of day and night."
Read quote
3 likes
"While Michael Angelo's Sistine roof, His "Morning" and his "Night" disclose How sinew that has been pulled tight, Or it may be loosened in repose, Can rule by supernatural right Yet be but sinew."
Read quote
3 likes
"While man can still his body keep Wine or love drug him to sleep, Waking he thanks the Lord that he Has body and its stupidity."
Read quote
3 likes
"On the grey rock of Cashel I suddenly saw A Sphinx with woman breast and lion paw, A Buddha, hand at rest, Hand lifted up that blest; And right between these two a girl at play That, it may be, had danced her life away."
Read quote
3 likes
"Education is not about filling a pail, it's about lighting a fire."
Read quote
3 likes
"What the world's million lips are searching for, must be substantial somewhere."
Read quote
3 likes
"What portion in the world can the artist have, Who has awakened from the common dream, But dissipation and despair?"
Read quote
3 likes
"And God would bid His warfare cease, Saying all things were well; And softly make a rosy peace, A peace of Heaven with Hell."
Read quote
3 likes