Poetry Explorer


Classic and Contemporary Poetry


THE VALLEY OF THE BLACK PIG by WILLIAM BUTLER YEATS

Poet Analysis

First Line: THE DEWS DROP SLOWLY AND DREAMS GATHER: UNKNOWN SPEARS
Last Line: MASTER OF THE STILL STARS AND OF THE FLAMING DOOR.
Subject(s): WAR;

The dews drop slowly and dreams gather: unknown spears
Suddenly hurtle before my dream-awakened eyes,
And then the clash of fallen horsemen and the cries
Of unknown perishing armies beat about my ears.
We who still labour by the cromlech on the shore,
The gray cairn on the hill, when day sinks drowned in dew,
Being weary of the world's empires, bow down to you,
Master of the still stars and of the flaming door.



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