--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: His element is so fine Being sharpened by…" description: "\"His element is so fine Being sharpened by his death, To drink from the wine-breath While our gross palates drink from the whole wine.\" — William Butler..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a9/william-butler-yeats-350_breaths_his-element-is-so-fine-being-sharpened-b_67130.jpg" --- # His element is so fine Being sharpened by his death, To… ![“His element is so fine Being sharpened by his death, To drink from the wine-breath While our gross palates drink from the whole wine.” quote by William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a9/william-butler-yeats-350_breaths_his-element-is-so-fine-being-sharpened-b_67130.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a9/william-butler-yeats-350_breaths_his-element-is-so-fine-being-sharpened-b_67130.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a9/william-butler-yeats-350_breaths_his-element-is-so-fine-being-sharpened-b_67130.jpg) > “His element is so fine Being sharpened by his death, To drink from the wine-breath While our gross palates drink from the whole wine.” [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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. Death refines a soul, allowing it to savor the pure essence of experience, unlike the coarse, unrefined consumption of the masses. **In simple terms:** Death sharpens perception, revealing finer truths. Key Takeaway Transformation through mortality yields deeper appreciation. Themes mortality refinement spirituality perception Mood melancholic transcendent Type poetic metaphor philosophical musing When to use this quote - grief processing - artistic creation - spiritual meditation Key Concepts existential alchemy aesthetic philosophy Practical Applications - Engage with contemplative practices - Study symbolic literature Questions to Reflect On - How does awareness of mortality affect your daily choices? - Can refinement occur without death? A Different Perspective The metaphor may romanticize death, overlooking its pain and loss. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Breaths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breaths/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Death Drink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death-drink-892124/) [Drink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drink/) [Drink Wine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drink-wine/) [Elements](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elements/) [Fine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fine/) [Gross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gross/) [Palate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/palate/) [Palates Drink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/palates-drink-892126/) [Sharpened Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sharpened-death-892125/) [Whole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whole/) [Wine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wine/) [Wine Breath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wine-breath-892123/) ## Related quotes > [“Watch for the ones who leave your mouth hanging open. Study them, find out what they love and what they fear. Dig the treasure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-scholes/watch-for-the-ones-who-leave-your-mouth-hanging-open-study-them-find/) [Ken Scholes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-scholes/) > [Death by drink driving is the only socially acceptable form of homicide.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/candy-lightner/death-by-drink-driving-is-the-only-socially-acceptable-form-of/) [Candy Lightner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/candy-lightner/) > [That's Delhi. When life gets too much for you all you need to do is to spend an hour at Nigambodh Ghat,watch the dead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khushwant-singh/that-s-delhi-when-life-gets-too-much-for-you-all-you-need-to-do-is-to/) [Khushwant Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khushwant-singh/) > [Lovers drink wine all day and night and tear the veils of the mind. When drunk with love's wine, body, heart and soul become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rumi/lovers-drink-wine-all-day-and-night-and-tear-the-veils-of-the-mind/) [Rumi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rumi/) > [By the bye, as I must leave off being young, I find many douceurs in being a sort of chaperon , for I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/by-the-bye-as-i-must-leave-off-being-young-i-find-many-douceurs-in/) [Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/) > [My only regret in life is that I did not drink more wine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/my-only-regret-in-life-is-that-i-did-not-drink-more-wine/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [I'd much rather eat pasta and drink wine than be a size 0.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophia-loren/i-d-much-rather-eat-pasta-and-drink-wine-than-be-a-size-0/) [Sophia Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophia-loren/) > [“Drink wine and look at the moon and think of all the civilisations the moon has seen passing by.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omar-khayy-m/drink-wine-and-look-at-the-moon-and-think-of-all-the-civilisations/) [Omar Khayyám](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omar-khayy-m/) > [Smoke some herb , drink some wine , life is short enjoy it .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamed-navaal/smoke-some-herb-drink-some-wine-life-is-short-enjoy-it/) [Mohamed Navaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamed-navaal/) > [A wonderful drink, wine. . . . Did you ever hear of an Italian grape crusher with athlete's foot?.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-c-fields-3/a-wonderful-drink-wine-did-you-ever-hear-of-an-italian-grape-crusher/) [W C Fields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-c-fields-3/) > [More important than the food pairing is the person with whom you drink the wine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-moueix/more-important-than-the-food-pairing-is-the-person-with-whom-you/) [Christian Moueix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-moueix/) > [“Today is the time of my youth I drink wine because it is my solace; Do not blame me, although it is bitter it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omar-khayy-m/today-is-the-time-of-my-youth-i-drink-wine-because-it-is-my-solace-do/) [Omar Khayyam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omar-khayy-m/) > [Drink wine, drink poetry, drink virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-baudelaire/drink-wine-drink-poetry-drink-virtue/) [Charles Baudelaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-baudelaire/) > [“Your supposed to drink wine, my friend, not breathe it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trudi-canavan/your-supposed-to-drink-wine-my-friend-not-breathe-it/) [Trudi Canavan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trudi-canavan/) > [I used to drink a lot of beer, but I was just getting fat as can be. Now that we've had a little success,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-delonge/i-used-to-drink-a-lot-of-beer-but-i-was-just-getting-fat-as-can-be/) [Tom DeLonge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-delonge/) ## More by William Butler Yeats > [Time can but make her beauty over again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/time-can-but-make-her-beauty-over-again/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [I would have touched it like a child But knew my finger could but have touched Cold stone and water. I grew wild, Even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/i-would-have-touched-it-like-a-child-but-knew-my-finger-could-but/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [You know what the Englishman's idea of compromise is? He says, Some people say there is a God. Some people say there is no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/you-know-what-the-englishman-s-idea-of-compromise-is-he-says-some/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [Beloved, let your eyes half close, and your heart beat Over my heart, and your hair fall over my breast, Drowning love's lonely hour…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/beloved-let-your-eyes-half-close-and-your-heart-beat-over-my-heart/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [That toil of growing up; The ignominy of boyhood; the distress Of boyhood changing into man; The unfinished man and his pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/that-toil-of-growing-up-the-ignominy-of-boyhood-the-distress-of/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [I see a schoolboy when I think of him, With face and nose pressed to a sweet-shop window.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/i-see-a-schoolboy-when-i-think-of-him-with-face-and-nose-pressed-to-a/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [Only God, my dear, Could love you for yourself alone And not your yellow hair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/only-god-my-dear-could-love-you-for-yourself-alone-and-not-your/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [We can only begin to live when we conceive life as Tragedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/we-can-only-begin-to-live-when-we-conceive-life-as-tragedy/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [I know that I shall meet my fate somewhere among the clouds above; those that I fight I do not hate, those that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/i-know-that-i-shall-meet-my-fate-somewhere-among-the-clouds-above/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [Great literature has always been written in a like spirit, and is, indeed, the Forgiveness of Sin, and when we find it becoming the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/great-literature-has-always-been-written-in-a-like-spirit-and-is/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [Where the wave of moonlight glosses The dim gray sands with light, Far off by furthest Rosses We foot it all the night, Weaving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/where-the-wave-of-moonlight-glosses-the-dim-gray-sands-with-light-far/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [We poets would die of loneliness but for women, and we choose our men friends that we may have somebody to talk about women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/we-poets-would-die-of-loneliness-but-for-women-and-we-choose-our-men/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [Love is created and preserved by intellectual analysis, for we love only that which is unique, and it belongs to contemplation, not to action,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/love-is-created-and-preserved-by-intellectual-analysis-for-we-love/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [Who dreamed that beauty passes like a dream? For these red lips, with all their mournful pride, Mournful that no new wonder may betide,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/who-dreamed-that-beauty-passes-like-a-dream-for-these-red-lips-with/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [“The Song Of The Happy Shepherd The woods of Arcady are dead, And over is their antique joy; Of old the world on dreaming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/the-song-of-the-happy-shepherd-the-woods-of-arcady-are-dead-and-over/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) [Explore all 652 William Butler Yeats quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) ## More Breaths quotes > [Don't let a breath escape from your body without Krishna's name. That should be our determination throughout our life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radhanath-swami/don-t-let-a-breath-escape-from-your-body-without-krishna-s-name-that/) [Radhanath Swami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radhanath-swami/) > [Jazz is the music of the body. The breath comes through brass. It is the body's breath, and the strings' wails and moans are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/jazz-is-the-music-of-the-body-the-breath-comes-through-brass-it-is/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Many years ago I was fishing, and as I was reeling in the poor fish, I realised, 'I am killing him - all for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-mccartney/many-years-ago-i-was-fishing-and-as-i-was-reeling-in-the-poor-fish-i/) [Paul McCartney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-mccartney/) > [Aging is like enlightenment at gunpoint. Before I had cancer, I lived my life for my art. After I had cancer, I lived my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-halprin/aging-is-like-enlightenment-at-gunpoint-before-i-had-cancer-i-lived/) [Anna Halprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-halprin/) > [God is greater than anything that man can do or has done. He is not undone by just a train of powder. "Our God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/errol-morris/god-is-greater-than-anything-that-man-can-do-or-has-done-he-is-not/) [Errol Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/errol-morris/) > [One day I was running around playing with my son Connor when afterwards I was sweating, tired and out of breath. I was embarrassed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-carey/one-day-i-was-running-around-playing-with-my-son-connor-when/) [Drew Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-carey/) > [Dave Wann's recipes from his own experience in Simple Prosperity are a breath of fresh air, and just what we need for a saner…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hazel-henderson/dave-wann-s-recipes-from-his-own-experience-in-simple-prosperity-are/) [Hazel Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hazel-henderson/) > [Poetry should be vital--either stirring our blood by its divine movements or snatching our breath by its divine perfection. To do both is supreme…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustine-birrell/poetry-should-be-vital-either-stirring-our-blood-by-its-divine/) [Augustine Birrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustine-birrell/) > [Tic Tacs are the maracas of breath mints.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demetri-martin/tic-tacs-are-the-maracas-of-breath-mints/) [Demetri Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demetri-martin/) > [The river is motion, turmoil, rage. As the river flows, it wonders what it would be like to be so still, to take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kekla-magoon/the-river-is-motion-turmoil-rage-as-the-river-flows-it-wonders-what/) [Kekla Magoon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kekla-magoon/) > [Remember that no matter how selfish, how cruel, how unfeeling you have been today, every time you take a breath, you make a flower…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mort-sahl/remember-that-no-matter-how-selfish-how-cruel-how-unfeeling-you-have/) [Mort Sahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mort-sahl/) > [The trees are white with dust, that o'er their sleep Wave their broad curtains in the south-wind's breath, While underneath such leafy tents they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/the-trees-are-white-with-dust-that-o-er-their-sleep-wave-their-broad/) [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/) > [“Listen to this, Nimit. Follow Coleman Hawkins' improvised lines very carefully. He is using them to tell us something. Pay very close attention. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/listen-to-this-nimit-follow-coleman-hawkins-improvised-lines-very/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [Every body resisted (the slaughterer) in its own fashion, tried to escape and seemed to argue with the Creator to its last breath.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-bashevis-singer/every-body-resisted-the-slaughterer-in-its-own-fashion-tried-to/) [Isaac Bashevis Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-bashevis-singer/) > [We had a dog, Apples. He was 13 years old, toothless, blind and had the worst breath this side of Jabba the Hut. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlee-matlin/we-had-a-dog-apples-he-was-13-years-old-toothless-blind-and-had-the/) [Marlee Matlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlee-matlin/) [Browse all 1,609 Breaths quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breaths/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "His element is so fine Being sharpened by his death, To drink from the wine-breath While our gross palates drink from the whole wine.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Butler Yeats" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/his-element-is-so-fine-being-sharpened-by-his-death-to-drink-from-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Breaths" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/his-element-is-so-fine-being-sharpened-by-his-death-to-drink-from-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a9/william-butler-yeats-350_breaths_his-element-is-so-fine-being-sharpened-b_67130.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a9/william-butler-yeats-350_breaths_his-element-is-so-fine-being-sharpened-b_67130.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6a9/william-butler-yeats-350_breaths_his-element-is-so-fine-being-sharpened-b_67130.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“His element is so fine Being sharpened by his death, To drink from the wine-breath While our gross palates…” — William Butler Yeats", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "William Butler Yeats", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "His element is so fine Being...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/his-element-is-so-fine-being-sharpened-by-his-death-to-drink-from-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/his-element-is-so-fine-being-sharpened-by-his-death-to-drink-from-the/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```