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Out-worn heart, in a time out-worn, Come clear of the nets…

“Out-worn heart, in a time out-worn, Come clear of the nets of wrong and right; Laugh, heart, again in the gray twilight, Sigh, heart, again in the dew of the moon. Your mother Eire is always young, Dew ever shining and twilight gray; Though hope fall from you and love decay, Burning in fires of a…” quote by William Butler Yeats
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““Out-worn heart, in a time out-worn, Come clear of the nets of wrong and right; Laugh, heart, again in the gray twilight, Sigh, heart, again in the dew of the moon. Your mother Eire is always young, Dew ever shining and twilight gray; Though hope fall from you and love decay, Burning in fires of a slanderous tongue. Come, heart, where hill is heaped upon hill: For there the mystical brotherhood Of sun and moon and hollow and wood And river and stream work out their will; And God stands winding His lonely horn, And time and the world are ever in flight; And love is less kind than the gray twilight, And hope is less dear than the dew of the morn.””

William Butler Yeats

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The poet reflects on a weary heart seeking redemption amid moral ambiguity, invoking nature and myth to illustrate timeless cycles of hope and decay.

In simple terms: A tired heart seeks hope despite moral confusion.

Key Takeaway

Embrace renewal through nature’s cycles.

Themes

hope renewal myth nature spirituality

Mood

melancholic hopeful

Type

poetic reflective

When to use this quote

  • grief counseling
  • creative writing
  • personal reflection
  • spiritual practice

Key Concepts

Irish poetry romanticism existentialism

Questions to Reflect On

  • How can you find renewal in everyday moments?
  • What role does myth play in your personal healing?
A Different Perspective

The poem’s lyrical abstraction may obscure practical guidance for modern readers.

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