Customer Reviews

The Celtic Twilight

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(2)
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When Robert Frost (A not very likable fellow, when you read his biographies, despite his excellent poetry.) visited Yeats in Ireland, he made a comment to the effect that, "It's no wonder he believes in faeries." He was responding to the beautiful, mystical Irish landscape Yeats grew up in. This book, even though you're (probably) not in Ireland when you read it, will have you responding much as Frost did. The peasantry have so much of their pagan ancestry in their blood that, despite their ostensible Catholicism, their deep belief in "the little people" comes out as strong as ever when questioned about it. Reading these anecdotes, some of them grafted directly onto Yeats' early poetry, gives them a power they would not have had you not read this book and realized how "here and now" faeryland was to the common people at the time. The Celtic belief that death (into Faeryland)is far more desirable than birth is made beautifully apparent in this book. Hence, by the way, the celebratory Irish wake. Hence also this lovely poem

Heardst thou not sweet words among That Heaven-resounding minstrelsy? Heardst thou not that those who die Awake in a world of ecstacy? That love, when limbs are interwoven, And sleep when the night of life is cloven, And thought, to the world's dim boudaries clinging, And music, when one beloved is singing, Is death?

These sorts of things, as well as Yeats' poetry, are worth deep consideration in this present world where medicine is deemed omnipotent...and yet, nevertheless, we all die.

A wonderful addition to my kindle; I can read bits and pieces of it throughout the week and the beauty and lyricism follow me. If you're into Celtic lit, Irish stories/poems, fairy stories, it's all here. Not new age stuff, but the tried and true classics by a master poet.

Although I started to read this book for research purposes I fell in love with the prose. It give you a taste of the old Gaelic Irish flavor with stimulating imagery. Read it!

It is no wonder when reading why the Irish are master story tellers. I read this because I am a fan of Yeats, and having traveled to Ireland found myself reading more and more of his work. I discovered Yeats while in Ireland and having crossed paths with "Stolen Child." From there I began to read his "Myths and Fairy Tales" and so on and so forth. His simple and elegant style combined with the images and lifestyle of peasantry serve an amazing sample of Celtic/Irish poetry and lit. Yeats is certainly a master of his craft, and having this and his other works on my Kindle is perhaps the best way to drift off to sleep.

I had heard of William Butler Yeats, and I must say he is quite an excellent poet. The dreams I had of the old worlds came to life in this.