"September 1913" by W.B. Yeats (poetry reading)

In the general strike in September 1913 ruthless employers locked out the workers. Yeats ironically contrasts the current mercenary Ireland that has "come to its senses" with an older romantic Ireland peopled by a different kind of men and which died with them: world-famous heroes and martyrs whose patriotism he compares with the madness of love.

Later Yeats was impressed by the rise of fascism, as were many radical thinkers, but he died before WWII and never saw its terrible consequences.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• September
• 1913
• Yeats

[SteDeRaver]

Erm actually this poem was written as a direct response to the Hugh Lane art fiasco, when Lane offered to donate many valuable art works to Dublin but his offer was refused because he was a protestant and an art gallery would be expensive to fund and Yeats' fury at this. Whoah I just saw the comment pending approval nonsense, going to censor me for contradicting you? I hope not.

[SpokenVerse]

@SteDeRaver I only know the conventional view that the poem refers to the Dublin Lock-out. Here's a quote from Wiki.

"September 1913, one of the most famous of W. B. Yeats' poems, was published in the Irish Times during the lockout partly to express the poet's support of the worker's aims in contrast with his animosity towards the Catholic bourgeoisie and the church's influence upon them".

I only read 'em, I don't get involved in Irish politics.  Was the reading satisfactory?

[lifestandstillhere]

Many thanks for allowing me to review these poems with a text and voice this morning--

[ronniehello]

would you consider doing a reading of The Rose Tree? Very short and simple poem by yeats but I love it

[brenolad]

This poem has a strong undertone in current Irish politics. Shows how timeless these words truly are!

[John27346]

@SteDeRaver Don't be a twat.

[FreeCreativeT]

Thank you so much! I like your readings for poems and I've been always watching them even before I register in YouTube :)

Keep on, please, and record as much as you can of poetry (the immortal art) because your voice will become as immortal as those lines =)

Thanks again.

[SteDeRaver]

@SpokenVerse Oh well thanks for telling me because I didn't even hear of that before, and yeah the reading was good, I felt you should have picked it up faster and louder at the end for emphasis but thats just me. Thanks for the insight.

[eoinburkey]

I love this poem

[3seashells]

What a poem!