“The years like great black oxen tread the world, and God, the herdsman goads them on behind, and I am broken by their passing feet.”
God
“You that would judge me, do not judge alone this book or that, come to this hallowed place where my friends' portraits hang and look thereon Ireland's history in their lineaments trace think where man's glory most begins and ends and say my glory was I had such friends.”
AloneAll Quotes by William Butler Yeats
“The best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity.”
Best“Why should we honour those that die upon the field of battle? A man may show as reckless a courage in entering into the abyss of himself.”
Courage“Nor dread nor hope attend a dying animal a man awaits his end dreading and hoping all.”
Hope“I have known more men destroyed by the desire to have wife and child and to keep them in comfort than I have seen destroyed by drink and harlots.”
Men“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.”
Death“Out of Ireland have we come, great hatred, little room, maimed us at the start. I carry from my mother's womb a fanatic heart.”
Great“If suffering brings wisdom, I would wish to be less wise.”
Wisdom“To be born woman is to know - although they do not speak of it at school - women must labor to be beautiful.”
Women“Books are but waste paper unless we spend in action the wisdom we get from thought - asleep. When we are weary of the living, we may repair to the dead, who have nothing of peevishness, pride, or design in their conversation.”
Design“The innocent and the beautiful have no enemy but time.”
Time“Take, if you must, this little bag of dreams, Unloose the cord, and they will wrap you round.”
Dreams“The only business of the head in the world is to bow a ceaseless obeisance to the heart.”
Business“But I, being poor, have only my dreams I have spread my dreams under your feet Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.”
Dreams“Man can embody truth but he cannot know it.”
Truth“The creations of a great writer are little more than the moods and passions of his own heart, given surnames and Christian names, and sent to walk the earth.”
Great“Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.”
Dreams“Choose your companions from the best Who draws a bucket with the rest soon topples down the hill.”
Best“One should not lose one's temper unless one is certain of getting more and more angry to the end.”
Anger“I think it better that in times like these a poet's mouth be silent, for in truth we have no gift to set a statesman right.”
Truth