William Butler Yeats
William Butler Yeats was a towering figure in 20th-century literature, renowned for his profound poetry and his significant influence on the Irish literary revival. Born on June 13, 1865, in Dublin, Yeats was deeply inspired by Irish folklore and mythology, which permeated much of his work. He began his literary journey in the late 19th century, initially drawing from romanticism before evolving into a modernist master. Throughout his life, Yeats was fascinated by themes of love, politics, and the passage of time, all beautifully woven into his verses, making them resonate with readers across generations.
As a co-founder of the Abbey Theatre, Yeats played a pivotal role in shaping modern Irish drama. His tireless commitment to his homeland’s cultural identity is reflected in his poetry and plays. Yeats was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1923, recognizing his impact on the literary world. If you're curious about the depth of emotion and insight that Yeats offers, take a moment to explore his works in this app. Each poem and play invites you into a world of rich imagery and profound reflection that continues to inspire and captivate readers today.
The Celtic Twilight
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William Butler Yeats
I have desired, like every artist, to create a little world out of the beautiful, pleasant, and significant things of this marred and clumsy…
Fairy and Folk Tales of the Irish Peasantry
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William Butler Yeats
This is a collection of Fairy and Folk tales. The poet William Butler Yeats collected them from around the Western part of Ireland and trans…
The Wind Among the Reeds
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William Butler Yeats
William Butler Yeats was an Irish poet and one of the foremost figures of 20th century literature. He studied poetry in his youth and from a…
The Wanderings of Oisin
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William Butler Yeats
This narrative poem is composed in three parts, and consists of a dialogue between the aged Irish hero Oisín and St. Patrick. Oison r…
Crossways
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William Butler Yeats
The first collection by Irish-born poet William Butler Yeats. Many decades before his mysterious and austere Modernist verse earned him a No…
John Sherman and Dhoya
Read by David Wales
William Butler Yeats
In 1891, Yeats published "John Sherman", a novella, and "Dhoya", a Celtic mythologic story. Ganconagh, Yeats’s nom de pl…
When You Are Old
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William Butler Yeats
LibriVox volunteers bring you 29 recordings of When You Are Old by William Butler Yeats. This was the Weekly Poetry project for January 3rd,…
In the Seven Woods
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William Butler Yeats
In the Seven Woods (1904) is Yeats's first twentieth-century poetry collection. Its fourteen poems show him moving steadily away from the de…
Easter, 1916
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William Butler Yeats
LibriVox volunteers bring you 4 recordings of Easter, 1916 by William Butler Yeats. This was the fortnightly poetry project for April 5th, 2…
The Wild Swans at Coole
Read by Nicole Lee
William Butler Yeats
The Wild Swans at Coole is a collection of poems by William Butler Yeats, first published in 1917. It is also the name of a poem in that col…
The Magi
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William Butler Yeats
LibriVox volunteers bring you 14 different recordings of The Magi, by William Butler Yeats to celebrate the Feast of the Epiphany. This was …
The Song of Wandering Aengus
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William Butler Yeats
LibriVox volunteers bring you eighteen different readings of The Song of Wandering Aengus, by Irish poet William Butler Yeats, to celebrate …
The Fiddler of Dooney
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William Butler Yeats
LibriVox volunteers bring you 17 recordings of The Fiddler of Dooney by William Butler Yeats. This was the Weekly Poetry project for Decembe…
The Wild Swans at Coole (Version 2)
Read by Peter Tucker
William Butler Yeats
A collection of poems from the mid-career of this renowned Irish poet, the title poem referring to the estate of his friend and mentor, Lady…
Where My Books Go
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William Butler Yeats
LibriVox volunteers bring you thirteen different readings of the short poem Where My Books Go by William Butler Yeats, a weekly poetry proje…
All Things Can Tempt Me
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William Butler Yeats
LibriVox volunteers bring you 14 recordings of All Things Can Tempt Me by W. B. Yeats, from The Green Helmet and Other Poems (1912). This wa…
Aedh Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven
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William Butler Yeats
LibriVox volunteers bring you nine different recordings of Aedh Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven, by William Butler Yeats. This was the weekl…
A Drinking Song
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William Butler Yeats
LibriVox volunteers offer you 12 different recordings of A Drinking Song from The Green Helmet and Other Poems (1912) by William Butler Yeat…
The Dolls
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William Butler Yeats
William Butler Yeats was an Irish poet and one of the foremost figures of 20th-century literature. A pillar of both the Irish and British li…