William Butler Yeats

"An Irish Airman foresees his Death I Know that I shall meet my fate Somewhere among the clouds above; Those that I fight I do not hate Those that I guard I do not love, My country is Kiltartan Cross, My countrymen Kiltartan’s poor, No likely end could bring them loss Or leave them happier than before. Nor law, nor duty bade me fight, Nor public man, nor cheering crowds, A lonely impulse of delight Drove to this tumult in the clouds; I balanced all, brought all to mind, The years to come seemed waste of breath, A waste of breath the years behind In balance with this life, this death."

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Source: An Irish Airman Foresees His Death l. 1 (1919)

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William Butler Yeats

William Butler Yeats

Poet, Playwright

William Butler Yeats was an Irish poet and playwright, notable for his profound exploration of love, identity, and the human experience in works like 'The Second Coming.'

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