The Collected Poems of W.B. Yeats: Revised Second Edition

What is the relationship between art, spirituality, and history? W.B. Yeats' Collected Poems presents the complete poetic works of Ireland's greatest poet and one of modernism's most influential voices—a visionary who transformed Irish mythology into universal symbols, explored mysticism and the occult, and created a poetic system that united intellect and imagination. Yeats (1865-1939) evolved from a dreamy Celtic Twilight romantic into a powerful modernist voice, his poetry growing stronger and more passionate with age. His work explores Irish identity and mythology, the tension between art and life, the mysteries of love and aging, the cycles of history, and the search for spiritual vision in a materialist age. Winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature, Yeats created a body of work that is both deeply Irish and universally human.

This complete edition spans Yeats' entire career: early lyrical works like "The Lake Isle of Innisfree" and "The Song of Wandering Aengus"; reworkings of Irish myths and legends; passionate love poems to Maud Gonne; powerful political poems like "Easter 1916" and "September 1913"; mystical explorations in "The Second Coming" and "Sailing to Byzantium"; and late masterpieces confronting aging, death, and desire with unflinching honesty. Yeats developed a symbolic system drawing on Irish mythology, occult philosophy, and his theory of historical cycles (gyres), creating poetry that operates on multiple levels—personal, political, mythic, and spiritual. His voice combines lyrical beauty with intellectual complexity, romantic passion with modernist irony.

For contemplative readers, Yeats' poetry offers profound meditation on spirituality, history, and the creative life. His work asks: How do we access spiritual vision in a secular age? What is the relationship between personal experience and historical patterns? How do we reconcile art and action, contemplation and engagement? What wisdom comes with aging and approaching death? Yeats' verse becomes a companion for exploring mystical consciousness, creative vision, and the search for meaning through symbol, myth, and imagination.

What You'll Discover
Yeats' complete authorized poems (1865-1939)
Irish mythology, mysticism, and political poetry
Famous works: "The Second Coming," "Sailing to Byzantium," "Easter 1916"
Poetry exploring love, aging, history, and spiritual vision
Contemplative insights into mysticism, creativity, and meaning
The voice that defined Irish modernist poetry

William Butler Yeats (1865-1939) was an Irish poet, playwright, and mystic who became the leading figure of the Irish Literary Revival and one of the twentieth century's greatest poets. Co-founder of the Abbey Theatre, senator of the Irish Free State, and lifelong student of occult philosophy, Yeats created a unique poetic vision that synthesized Irish mythology, mystical symbolism, and modernist technique. He received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1923. This revised edition, edited by Richard J. Finneran, includes Yeats' own notes and scholarly annotations.

Perfect for: Readers of modernist poetry and Irish literature, students of W.B. Yeats and literary modernism, contemplative readers exploring mysticism and spiritual vision, those interested in Irish mythology and cultural identity, anyone drawn to symbolist and visionary poetry, readers of occult philosophy and esoteric traditions, students of 20th-century poetry and Nobel Prize literature.

Paperback edition. Yeats' complete poems—offering contemplative wisdom on mysticism, creativity, history, and spiritual vision through the voice of Ireland's greatest poet and modernism's most visionary artist.