Yeats

So I finally added a few WB Yeats poems to the page designated for such things.

If this at all interests you, check it out. If not – nothing to see here, please move along.

My all-time favourite Yeats poem will probably forever be He Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven. (Early versions used the confusingly-named “Aedh” instead of “He”, but seriously – Aedh is just a terrible name.) The poem’s inclusion in a poignant scene from the awesome yet under-appreciated Christian Bale flick Equilibrium contributes heavily to its lasting appeal. But I was already a fan of the poem before seeing the film, which then made me enjoy Equilibrium even more for using it. It’s like a positive feedback loop of artistic appreciation.

An Irish Airman Foresees his Death is also a really great poem. Of course my undying fascination with aerial combat, especially from the “good ol’ days”, tends to bias my opinion on this. But it’s a particularly well-written piece of war poetry, ignoring notions of glory, honour, and hatred for the enemy. Instead it captures sentiments of flying for flight’s sake – of the soldier as fundamentally human, despite the absurdities of his temporary profession.

If I were a fighter pilot, I’d probably write this poem on my fuselage somewhere. Which might totally seem like a “bad luck charm”, but hey, I’m not Irish. I’m also not a fighter pilot… yet. :P

now it’s hardly simple, it’s just simply hard