The Mermaid
by W.B. Yeats
A mermaid found a swimming lad,
Picked him for her own,
Pressed her body to his body,
Laughed; and plunging down
Forgot in cruel happiness
That even lovers drown.
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W.B. Yeats, as quoted in Anne Sexton’s Love Poems (1969)
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01:39
What if I wake up one day, and everything is gone...
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"How many loved your moments of glad grace, And loved your beauty with love false or true, But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you." WB Yeats
Falling in love with Yeats again.
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The trees are in their autumn beauty,
The woodland paths are dry,
Under the October twilight the water
Mirrors a still sky;
W.B. Yeats, from The Wild Swans At Coole in “The Collected Poems Of W.B. Yeats”
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LAZARUS: You took my death. Give me your death instead.
CHRIST: I gave you life.
LAZARUS: But death is what I ask. Alive I never could escape your love
Calvary, W.B. Yeats
LESTAT: This is not a life!
LOUIS: That’s ‘cause you took my life!
Interview With The Vampire S01E03
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Ambiguous by Nature
I wanted to share a beautiful rendition of Leda and the Swan by the renowned Irish poet William Butler Yeats (1865-1939). It comes from Wisconsin artist Mark Brueggeman, who taught in the Department of Art and Design at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point for 27 years. He is a versatile, talented artist known for his work in stain-glass, painting, drawing, and printmaking. This work has now extended his work to include the roles of both publisher and illustrator. According to a quote from hiddenstudiosarttour.com, Brueggeman states he has “always enjoyed the look of text incorporated into drawings and paintings.”
Brueggeman's artwork is a rare gem, a testament to his meticulous craftsmanship. Printed in an edition of 15 copies at Brueggeman's Atelier Vermeil Studio in 2015, the work is a blend of letterpress and intaglio prints on Root River Mill paper handmade by the artist and several of his colleagues, and published as a portfolio of broadsides.
The poem, rooted in a Greek myth about a sexual encounter between the immortal god Zeus and the beautiful Spartan queen Leda, presents a unique perspective. In Yeats’ version, he offers a provocative and ambiguous account of a sexual act. Brueggeman's visual interpretation of the poem adds another layer of intrigue, leaning into the vague nature of the poem itself.
The artwork and poetry blend seamlessly, taking on a sensual yet brutal quality. They intentionally leave much to the reader's imagination, allowing for various interpretations and assumptions. However, one thing is certain in the poem and the artist’s rendering: following the rash and impulsive act, Leda is left on her own, carrying the knowledge of the future consequences that their union has created.
-Melissa, Special Collections Classics Intern
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W. B. Yeats, June 13, 1865 – January 28, 1939.
1935 photo by Howard Coster.
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— William Butler Yeats, "The Four Ages of Man"
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“The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.”
~ W.B. Yeats
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The trees are in their autumn beauty, the woodland paths are dry, under the October twilight the water mirrors a still sky;
W.B. Yeats, from The Wild Swans at Coole in "The Collected Poems Of W.B. Yeats"
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When You Are Old
by W.B. Yeats
When you are old and grey and full of sleep,
And nodding by the fire, take down this book,
And slowly read, and dream of the soft look
Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep;
How many loved your moments of glad grace,
And loved your beauty with love false or true,
But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you,
And loved the sorrows of your changing face;
And bending down beside the glowing bars,
Murmur, a little sadly, how Love fled
And paced upon the mountains overhead
And hid his face amid a crowd of stars.
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"Being Irish, he had an abiding sense of tragedy, which sustained him through temporary periods of joy." ~ W.B. Yeats
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