Eternal beauty Quote by William Butler Yeats
““THE ROSE TOTHE ROSE UPON THE ROOD OF TIME Red Rose, proud Rose, sad Rose of all my days! Come near me, while I sing the ancient ways: Cuchulain battling with the bitter tide; The Druid, grey, wood-nurtured, quiet-eyed, Who cast round Fergus dreams, and ruin untold; And thine own sadness, where of stars, grown old In dancing silver-sandalled on the sea, Sing in their high and lonely melody. Come near, that no more blinded by man’s fate, I find under the boughs of love and hate, In all poor foolish things that live a day, Eternal beauty wandering on her way. Come near, come near, come near — Ah, leave me still A little space for the rose-breath to fill! Lest I no more bear common things that crave; The weak worm hiding down in its small cave, The field-mouse running by me in the grass, And heavy mortal hopes that toil and pass; But seek alone to hear the strange things said By God to the bright hearts of those long dead, And learn to chaunt a tongue men do not know. Come near; I would, before my time to go, Sing of old Eire and the ancient ways: Red Rose, proud Rose, sad Rose of all my days. A king is but a foolish labourer Who wastes his blood to be another’s dream.””
About This Quote
Source Poem: “The Rose” (fragment), 1919, from “The Collected Poems of W.B. Yeats”
The poem uses the rose as a symbol of love, beauty, and mortality, urging closeness to the divine and the natural world while lamenting human folly.
In simple terms: The rose represents love, beauty, and life's fleeting nature.
Embrace beauty and reflect on mortality.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- personal reflection
- ritual
- artistic appreciation
- spiritual contemplation
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- What does the rose symbolize for you?
- How do we balance beauty with sorrow?
The rose can also signify political or personal oppression.