Why Should Not Old Men Be Mad? - A poem by William Butler Yeats


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William Butler Yeats - Why Should Not Old Men Be Mad?

Why should not old men be mad?
Some have known a likely lad
That had a sound fly-fisher's wrist
Turn to a drunken journalist;
A girl that knew all Dante once
Live to bear children to a dunce;
A Helen of social welfare dream,
Climb on a wagonette to scream.
Some think it a matter of course that chance
Should starve good men and bad advance,
That if their neighbours figured plain,
As though upon a lighted screen,
No single story would they find
Of an unbroken happy mind,
A finish worthy of the start.
Young men know nothing of this sort,
Observant old men know it well;
And when they know what old books tell
And that no better can be had,
Know why an old man should be mad.

Added: on July 24th, 2006 at 11:53 AM | Viewed: 6927 times | Comments (2)

Why Should Not Old Men Be Mad? - Comments and Information
Poet: William Butler Yeats Poem: Why Should Not Old Men Be Mad? Volume: On The Boiler Year: Published/Written in 1939 Poem of the Day on: Aug 6 2003 Comment 2 of 2, added on October 19th, 2008 at 1:15 AM. Hi--I was looking for another great Yeats quote to end an article/tribute to a deceased friend. My, Yeats had so many of them. Here I think there's not too much to add except it reminds me of a quote from James Hillman a lovable old Jungian that Plato wrote how Treason against the state should never be considered a crime in old age. After living through Iraq as a repeat of Vietnam I can see why, though this could get me on an Intelligence. Fine. See, when you get older you don't care as much anymore. Neil Earle from Canada Comment 1 of 2, added on July 24th, 2006 at 11:53 AM. Yeats is saying young men know nothing of life's trevails, "Young men know nothing of this sort." Yeats is saying old men know to well the struggles of life, the missed opportunities and regrets. Yeats is more gentle than Dylan Thomas in persuading us to "Do not go gentle into that good night, Old age should burn and rave at the close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light." Randal Rudder from United States More Comments >> Are you looking for more information on this poem? Perhaps you are trying to analyze it? The poem, Why Should Not Old Men Be Mad?, has received 2 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
Why Should Not Old Men Be Mad? Volume: On The Boiler Year: Published/Written in 1939 Last read: 2009-11-07 18:55:11 Poem of the Day on: Aug 6 2003 Viewed 6927 times. Added on July 24th, 2006 at 11:53 AM.

Yeats Info
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