Max’s Musings: Yeats

Where do you turn to when you feel alone?

William Butler Yeats, also known as W. B. Yeats, was an Irish poet and playwright. With standalone poems like “The Second Coming”, “The Lake Isle of Innisfree”, and “Sailing to Byzantium”, I wanted to choose a lesser-known poem of his for discussion this week.  

As Richard Eberhart states in the introduction of A Poet to his Beloved: The Early Love Poems of Willaim Butler Yeats, “the ideal reader…of Yeats would be someone who had not encountered him before”. This can be said about any poet. This is especially true when people have had negative experiences with poetry in the past. Poetry can be overwhelming and cryptic by nature. I heavily implore individuals to continue to dip their toes into the deep waters of poetry and sift through its influential lessons and wisdom.

Eberhart portrays Yeats’ poetry as “a haven from hardship” for his readers. People need an escape from reality whether it’s through books, art, movies, video games, etc. Although it’s crucial to not tune out the world for too long, people require an outlet, especially when they feel alone.

Eberhart claims that Yeats’ poetry handles intense topics like “death and destruction” with an utter “softness and gentleness” which truly embodies what poetry is and can be. For this week, I chose Yeats’ “The Fish” for a its striking nature imagery, the relatability to both the fisherman and the fish, and the bond the two ultimately share in the passing moment in time.

“The Fish”

Although you hide in the ebb and flow

Of the pale tide when the moon has set,

The people of coming days will know

About the casting out of my net,

And how you have leaped times out of mind

Over the little silver cords,

And think that you were hard and unkind,

And blame you with many bitter words.

Yeats’ use of nature imagery lends itself to the many poetic scenes sprinkled throughout the Pacific Northwest. As an Irish poet, his nature imagery imbedded within his words invokes a desire in myself to visit Ireland as well as other European countries enriched in beguiling landscapes. After moving to Seattle, I have grown to appreciate the outdoors in ways I never have before.

“The Fish” is from the perspective of a fisherman. Although they’re catching the fish for sport or survival, he honors the fish he comes across while others look at the creatures with disdain and turmoil. The fisherman tries to understand the fish from the other side—something lacking in this present day and age.

The fisherman turns to fishing as an escape which sounds obvious. Yet, he appears to understand the fish on a deeper level than other humans would. The fisherman fishes in the early morning “when the moon has set”, which is relatable to me as a writer. Although I can shift between an early bird and a night owl, I tend to see my writing vibrantly flourish in the morning.

With every fisherman is the fish they seek out. The fish who “have leaped times out of mind” are perceived by others as chaotic and reckless. As one who struggles with anxiety and depression, I couldn’t help but connect this poem to mental health. Although there has always been a stigma surrounding mental health, it’s a topic that is constantly being discussed more and more. I am thankful for having the anchored support system in my life.

A Poet to His Beloved by W.B. Yeats (hardcover)

The Evergreen Echo

The fish in the poem are viewed as castoffs, “unkind”, and the root of everyone’s problems to “the people of coming days”. Yet, the fisherman themselves still interacts with them. They interact with the fish not through fear but through an appreciation for existence. The two come together as both alone yet now unified.

Although the poem is a classic example of a “survival of the fittest” or “circle of life” moment, the poem brings both sides of predator and prey together in a way that is truly beautiful and harmonious. As someone who has only fished a couple of times, the poem, to me, showcases the act of fishing through a different lens. It offers as an escape from city life, an opportunity to reflect, and heal the ways of oneself whether you go alone or with a party.

Just like the fish, an individual cannot please everyone. An individual will never be everyone’s cup of tea. They will never be everyone’s perfect poem. As a writer, I know not everyone will like or even understand my words and my works, but that never stops me from writing. As a poet, I always have my poetry when I find myself feeling low in my loneliness.

Everyone should have the right to live their own lives and swim their own currents without fear of getting caught up in life’s net.

Where will you turn when you find yourself swimming alone?