The Hour Glass By: William Butler Yeats (1865-1939)
The Hour Glass by William Butler Yeats is a captivating collection of poems that delves deep into the complexities of time, love, and the human experience. With his signature lyrical style and profound insights, Yeats creates a tapestry of emotions that takes readers on a breathtaking journey through the passing of time. One of the most remarkable aspects of The Hour Glass is Yeats' ability to seamlessly blend themes of love, loss, and mortality. Through his evocative and powerful imagery, he paints a vivid portrait of the fleeting nature of existence and the longing for something eternal. The poet's thoughtful musings on time, such as "I have no other thing / But youthful days, youth’s mad frivolity, / And I would build me a nest in a Robe of Cloud, / And rest my heart beneath a ROSE-SET crown," resonates deeply with readers, forcing them to contemplate their own mortality and the importance of cherishing every moment. Furthermore, Yeats displays his remarkable talent for crafting deeply emotional and introspective verses in The Hour Glass. Whether exploring themes of unrequited love or the futile pursuit of immortality, the poet's words carry a poignant weight that lingers with readers long after they have finished the collection. Lines like "Hearts are like trumpets, beat them at once, / And, as loud as a trumpet, sing out the songs / That heaven and earth and the gods and the devils have sung," showcase Yeats' ability to distill complex emotions and universal truths into beautifully crafted verses that pierce straight into the soul. In addition to the emotional depth of the poetry, The Hour Glass also showcases Yeats' exceptional command of language and form. His use of rhyme and meter is meticulous, enhancing the musicality and rhythm of the verses. Yeats' exploration of sound and its relationship to meaning is particularly impressive; his playfulness with words and sounds creates a symphony of sensations that adds an extra layer of richness to the already powerful themes. Although The Hour Glass may require readers to delve deep into the introspective and philosophical realms, the rewards are well worth it. Yeats' ability to distill complex emotions, explore the fleeting nature of time, and confront our own mortality make this collection a truly extraordinary experience. A timeless masterpiece, this book is sure to enchant and provoke contemplation in all who are fortunate enough to dive into its pages. First Page: THE HOUR GLASS A MORALITY BY W. B. YEATS DRAMATIS PERSONAE A WISE MAN A FOOL SOME PUPILS AN ANGEL THE WISE MAN'S WIFE AND TWO CHILDREN SCENE: A large room with a door at the back and another at the side opening to an inner room. A desk and a chair in the middle. An hour glass on a bracket near the door. A creepy stool near it. Some benches. The WISE MAN sitting at his desk. WISE MAN [turning over the pages of a book]. Where is that passage I am to explain to my pupils to day? Here it is, and the book says that it was written by a beggar on the walls of Babylon: "There are two living countries, the one visible and the one invisible; and when it is winter with us it is summer in that country; and when the November winds are up among us it is lambing time there." I wish that my pupils had asked me to explain any other passage, for this is a hard passage. [The FOOL comes in and stands at the door, holding out his hat. He has a pair of shears in the other hand.] It sounds to me like foolishness; and yet that cannot be, for the writer of this book, where I have found so much knowledge, would not have set it by itself on this page, and surrounded it with so many images and so many deep colors and so much fine gilding, if it had been foolishness. FOOL. Give me a penny. WISE MAN... Continue reading book >>

The Hour Glass By: William Butler Yeats (1865-1939)

The Hour Glass by William Butler Yeats is a captivating collection of poems that delves deep into the complexities of time, love, and the human experience. With his signature lyrical style and profound insights, Yeats creates a tapestry of emotions that takes readers on a breathtaking journey through the passing of time.

One of the most remarkable aspects of The Hour Glass is Yeats' ability to seamlessly blend themes of love, loss, and mortality. Through his evocative and powerful imagery, he paints a vivid portrait of the fleeting nature of existence and the longing for something eternal. The poet's thoughtful musings on time, such as "I have no other thing / But youthful days, youth’s mad frivolity, / And I would build me a nest in a Robe of Cloud, / And rest my heart beneath a ROSE-SET crown," resonates deeply with readers, forcing them to contemplate their own mortality and the importance of cherishing every moment.

Furthermore, Yeats displays his remarkable talent for crafting deeply emotional and introspective verses in The Hour Glass. Whether exploring themes of unrequited love or the futile pursuit of immortality, the poet's words carry a poignant weight that lingers with readers long after they have finished the collection. Lines like "Hearts are like trumpets, beat them at once, / And, as loud as a trumpet, sing out the songs / That heaven and earth and the gods and the devils have sung," showcase Yeats' ability to distill complex emotions and universal truths into beautifully crafted verses that pierce straight into the soul.

In addition to the emotional depth of the poetry, The Hour Glass also showcases Yeats' exceptional command of language and form. His use of rhyme and meter is meticulous, enhancing the musicality and rhythm of the verses. Yeats' exploration of sound and its relationship to meaning is particularly impressive; his playfulness with words and sounds creates a symphony of sensations that adds an extra layer of richness to the already powerful themes.

Although The Hour Glass may require readers to delve deep into the introspective and philosophical realms, the rewards are well worth it. Yeats' ability to distill complex emotions, explore the fleeting nature of time, and confront our own mortality make this collection a truly extraordinary experience. A timeless masterpiece, this book is sure to enchant and provoke contemplation in all who are fortunate enough to dive into its pages.

First Page:

THE HOUR GLASS A MORALITY BY W. B. YEATS

DRAMATIS PERSONAE

A WISE MAN A FOOL SOME PUPILS AN ANGEL THE WISE MAN'S WIFE AND TWO CHILDREN

SCENE: A large room with a door at the back and another at the side opening to an inner room. A desk and a chair in the middle. An hour glass on a bracket near the door. A creepy stool near it. Some benches. The WISE MAN sitting at his desk.

WISE MAN [turning over the pages of a book]. Where is that passage I am to explain to my pupils to day? Here it is, and the book says that it was written by a beggar on the walls of Babylon: "There are two living countries, the one visible and the one invisible; and when it is winter with us it is summer in that country; and when the November winds are up among us it is lambing time there." I wish that my pupils had asked me to explain any other passage, for this is a hard passage. [The FOOL comes in and stands at the door, holding out his hat. He has a pair of shears in the other hand.] It sounds to me like foolishness; and yet that cannot be, for the writer of this book, where I have found so much knowledge, would not have set it by itself on this page, and surrounded it with so many images and so many deep colors and so much fine gilding, if it had been foolishness.

FOOL. Give me a penny.

WISE MAN... Continue reading book >>

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Wikipedia – The Hour Glass

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