Yeats: Draft Version

         William Butler Yeats wrote the poem After Long Silence between 1929 and 1933.

         The poem only has a paragraph of eight verses and its rhythm is A- B- B- A- C- D- D- C. In my opinion the title refers to what happened after the silence, I mean, when we read the text we realise that it talks about a couple of lovers, and I think that when two persons are in love, sometimes they do not know what to say, they only want to enjoy their love, and they spend some time in silence, the title refers to what happens after this silence, probably when you realise that the real world is not the other person. I think that the poet is telling us how was his first love, what he felt when they spent their first night together, what happened when the night finished and what he felt after the silence of the night. He felt to be the only lover in the world, but when this time ends he realises that it is a stupid feeling of a young lover.

         In the first line the author tells us that the first speech after the silence is good, and in the second line he shows a feeling, he says that this speech is good because all other lovers are separated. I think that the author tries to show his feeling of love, he feels they are the only lovers in the world, and their speech is good because the words make this feeling real.

         In verses three and four the author talks about darkness. I think that the poet and his lover spend a night together, and all is magic until they talk again. After the silence he realises about reality and he sees the shadows and he thinks that the night is ugly. The image of the curtains drawing shadows with the light of a lamplight refers to a night when you are alone and you cannot sleep, I think it is a feeling of loneliness.

         In verses five and six the author compares their love with Art and Song. I think that it refers to the topic that when you are in love you see happiness and you can hear music, only because you are happy because you love another person and he/ she loves you.

         The last two verses ( seven and eight) are a conclusion of the poet, he felt that he explained in the poem because he was young and he felt in love. This young love turns him ignorant.

         I think that the poem is a reflection of William Butler Yeats about love. Normally love is connected with youth, and when you are young you give priority to the feelings. The poet felt in love and he thought his love was the most important thing, but then he realised about real world, about the shadows that involve the real world, and at that time he realised that he was ignorant.