Sailing to Byzantium
In one another's arms, birds in the trees
-Those dying generations-at their song,
The salmon-falls, the mackerel-crowded seas,
Fish, flesh, or fowl, commend all summer long
Whatever is begotten, born, and dies.
Caught in that sensual music all neglect
Monuments of unaging intellect.
An aged man is but a paltry thing,
A tattered coat upon a stick, unless
Soul clap its hands and sing, and louder sing
For every tatter in its mortal dress,
Nor is there singing school but stuying
Monuments of its own magnificence;
And therefore I have sailed the seas and come
To the holy city of Byzantium.
O sages standing in God's holy fire
As in the gold mosaic of a wall,
Come from the holy fire, perne in a gyre,
And be the singing-masters of my soul.
Consume my heart away; sick with desire
And fastened to a dying animal
It knows not what it is; and gather me
Into the artifice of eternity.
Once out of nature I shall never take
My bodily form from any natural thing,
But such a form as Grecian goldsmiths make
Of hammered gold and gold enameling
To keep a drowsy Emperor awake;
Or set upon a golden bough to sing
To lords and ladies of Byzantium
Of what is past, or passing, or to come.
Overview of the Poem
Sailing to Byzantium is one of William Butler Yeats’s most celebrated works, first published in 1928. The poem is a lyrical meditation on the conflict between the mortal body and the eternal, spiritual realm. Yeats imagines himself as an elderly wanderer who seeks refuge in the symbolic city of Byzantium—a place where art, wisdom, and immortality converge.
Structure & Form
- The poem is divided into three stanzas, each consisting of 14 lines.
- It employs a regular rhyme scheme (ABCB EFEF GHIJ GHIJ) that mirrors the formal, almost musical quality of Yeats’s language.
- The meter is predominantly iambic, but Yeats occasionally inserts trochees and spondees to heighten the musicality.
Key Themes
Mortal vs. Immortal: The poem contrasts the fleeting nature of human life with the enduring power of art and myth. Yeats’s own aging body is portrayed as “a paltry thing,” yet he seeks to transcend it through the creation of timeless images. Art as Salvation: The “golden mosaics” and “hammered gold” of Byzantium represent the artistic medium that can elevate the soul beyond the physical realm. Mythic Journey: The voyage to Byzantium is an allegorical pilgrimage. Yeats uses the imagery of sea travel and ancient architecture to convey a spiritual quest. Transformation & Immortality: The poem’s closing lines suggest that the artist’s work will endure “in hammered gold and gold enameling,” a metaphor for the lasting legacy of creative expression.
Imagery & Symbolism
- Byzantium: Historically a city that bridged East and West, it becomes a symbol of the union between earthly experience and divine wisdom.
- Gold & Mosaics: The shimmering material evokes the idea of a polished, eternal truth that outlasts physical decay.
- Sea & Journey: The ocean is a universal symbol of the unknown and the subconscious, reinforcing the theme of transformation.
- Old Age & Youth: The juxtaposition between “old men” and the “young” serves to underline the urgency of capturing beauty before it vanishes.
Poetic Devices
- Alliteration: “golden mosaics,” “hammered gold.”
- Assonance: Repeated vowel sounds in “sailing,” “sea.”
- Metaphor & Simile: The body is a “tattered coat” and art becomes the “golden bough.”
- Repetition: The phrase “Sailing to Byzantium” appears at the beginning of each stanza, reinforcing the central motif.
Interpretation in Context of Yeats’s Life
Yeats, writing after the turbulence of World War I and amid his own health decline, turned increasingly toward mysticism and the Irish literary revival. The poem reflects his desire to reconcile personal mortality with a larger, transcendent narrative—an endeavor he pursued through poetry, prose, and his involvement in the Abbey Theatre.
Conclusion
Sailing to Byzantium remains a masterclass in blending lyrical beauty with profound philosophical inquiry. Yeats invites readers to consider the power of art as a vessel that carries human experience beyond the limits of time and flesh.
More poems by William Butler Yeats
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