A Last Confession - A poem by William Butler Yeats

William Butler Yeats - A Last Confession

What lively lad most pleasured me
Of all that with me lay?
I answer that I gave my soul
And loved in misery,
But had great pleasure with a lad
That I loved bodily.

Flinging from his arms I laughed
To think his passion such
He fancied that I gave a soul
Did but our bodies touch,
And laughed upon his breast to think
Beast gave beast as much.

I gave what other women gave
That stepped out of their clothes.
But when this soul, its body off,
Naked to naked goes,
He it has found shall find therein
What none other knows,

And give his own and take his own
And rule in his own right;
And though it loved in misery
Close and cling so tight,
There's not a bird of day that dare
Extinguish that delight.

Added: on November 3rd, 2005 at 6:21 PM | Viewed: 2884 times | Comments (3)

A Last Confession - Comments and Information
Poet: William Butler Yeats Poem: A Last Confession Volume: The Winding Stair and Other Poems Year: Published/Written in 1933 Poem of the Day on: Jul 13 2003 Comment 3 of 3, added on April 27th, 2006 at 4:06 AM. The poem comes from a sequence called 'A Woman Young and Old', and it is to be understood that a woman is speaking in the poem. That should be obvious in any case from the third stanza when the speaker says, 'I gave what OTHER women give...' Leo from Ireland Comment 2 of 3, added on April 4th, 2006 at 6:11 PM. I just learned of WB Yeats today. I found this site by researching some of his work ... Will Anchor, I just read your comment, then re-read the poem. No wonder I was confused by it. I thought he had a love for a woman named Maud Gonne, not a love for men (or boys)!!! I agree with you Will, 100 %!!! By WB Yeats writing a poem of this nature, one can only assume that he definitely had a homosexual experience. Based on how he wrote of the enticing pleasure he had from the experience, it most likely wasn't his one and only sexual encounter with another male ... ; 0 Melanie from United States Comment 1 of 3, added on November 3rd, 2005 at 6:21 PM. Yeats is basically talking about a relationship he had with a young lad. He is admitting to have a homosexual relationship with another man. Yeats says he feels misery in his actions but justifies it by the glory of the relationship they had. It isnt well known but Yeats was probably a fag. Will Anchor from United States More Comments >> Are you looking for more information on this poem? Perhaps you are trying to analyze it? The poem, A Last Confession, has received 3 comments. Click here to read them, and perhaps post a comment of your own. Of course you can also always discuss poems by William Butler Yeats with others on the Poetry Connection poetry forum!

Poem Info
A Last Confession Volume: The Winding Stair and Other Poems Year: Published/Written in 1933 Last read: 2008-12-04 22:52:20 Poem of the Day on: Jul 13 2003 Viewed 2884 times. Added on November 3rd, 2005 at 6:21 PM.

Yeats Info
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