The Old Stone Cross

William Butler Yeats 1865 (Sandymount) – 1939 (Menton)



A STATESMAN is an easy man,
He tells his lies by rote;
A journalist makes up his lies
And takes you by the throat;
So stay at home' and drink your beer
And let the neighbours' vote,

Said the man in the golden breastplate
Under the old stone Cross.

Because this age and the next age
Engender in the ditch,
No man can know a happy man
From any passing wretch;
If Folly link with Elegance
No man knows which is which,

Said the man in the golden breastplate
Under the old stone Cross.

But actors lacking music
Do most excite my spleen,
They say it is more human
To shuffle, grunt and groan,
Not knowing what unearthly stuff
Rounds a mighty scene,

Said the man in the golden breastplate
Under the old stone Cross.

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 19, 2023

41 sec read
60

Quick analysis:

Scheme abxbxb CD xeaexe CD xfxxxf CD
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 693
Words 137
Stanzas 6
Stanza Lengths 6, 2, 6, 2, 6, 2

William Butler Yeats

William Butler Yeats was an Irish poet and one of the foremost figures of 20th century literature. more…

All William Butler Yeats poems | William Butler Yeats Books

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