Being so caught up, So mastered by the brute blood of the air, Did she put on his knowledge with his power Before the indifferent beak could let her drop?
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- A bird is caught in the wind and questions if it gained power before being dropped by nature.
- In plain terms
- Did the bird get power before nature let it fall?
- What can you take from it?
- Power often comes before understanding consequences.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- When did you gain power?
- Did you understand the cost?
Another view
The metaphor is obscure without knowing the myth it references.
More from William Butler Yeats
Locke sank into a swoon; The Garden died; God took the spinning-jenny Out of his side.
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