Beauty Quote by William Butler Yeats
““THE ROSE OF THE WORLD WHO dreamed that beauty passes like a dream? For these red lips, with all their mournful pride, Mournful that no new wonder may betide, Troy passed away in one high funeral gleam, And Usna’s children died. We and the labouring world are passing by: Amid men’s souls, that waver and give place Like the pale waters in their wintry race, Under the passing stars, foam of the sky, Lives on this lonely face. Bow down, archangels, in your dim abode: Before you were, or any hearts to beat, Weary and kind one lingered by His seat; He made the world to be a grassy road Before her wandering feet.””
About This Quote
Source Poem: “The Rose of the World”, William Butler Yeats, 1919
The poem contemplates the fleeting nature of beauty and wonder, juxtaposing human sorrow with cosmic cycles, urging humility before the vastness of existence.
In simple terms: Beauty fades, life passes, we are small.
Key Takeaway
Embrace humility and cherish fleeting moments.
Themes
beauty
transience
humility
cosmos
Mood
melancholic
contemplative
Type
poetic
philosophical
When to use this quote
- contemplating mortality
- finding meaning in loss
- seeking spiritual solace
Key Concepts
existential reflection
nature’s cycle
human fragility
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you find meaning in impermanence?
- What small wonders can you notice daily?
A Different Perspective
The abstract language may obscure practical application.
