When You Are Old - W. B. Yeats read by Cillian Murphy | Powerful Life Poetry

Every heart sings a song, incomplete, until another heart whispers back. Those who wish to sing always find a song. At the touch of a lover, everyone becomes a poet. - Plato

When You Are Old by WILLIAM BUTLER YEATS

When you are old and grey and full of sleep,
And nodding by the fire, take down this book,
And slowly read, and dream of the soft look
Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep;

How many loved your moments of glad grace,
And loved your beauty with love false or true,
But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you,
And loved the sorrows of your changing face;

And bending down beside the glowing bars,
Murmur, a little sadly, how Love fled
And paced upon the mountains overhead
And hid his face amid a crowd of stars.

#poetry #love

[ronzakrin]

Old guy told me once; "by the time you learn the rules of the game, you're too old to play."

[cmlazar]

I learned that at 80 it is not too late to meet someone wonderful and fall in love and behave like a very young woman. It has been a bit over a year, and we’re still very happy and in love.

[judylearn]

The most poignant part of aging (and I am old), is finally fully recognizing the joys of life, the adventures, the fun it holds---and having to acknowledge you have so much less time to appreciate these joys, and less strength to take on the adventures your spirit is finally awakening to. But... you still jump into the waters of life, and swim as long as you can.

[bethanyjohnson]

When my elderly mother was in the hospital, sick and dying, she was invisible to the many people who worked on her. It made me sad because at one time she worked as a nursing supervisor there. I found and pinned her old employee badge on her hospital gown showing her youthful, beautiful face to let everyone know, "Look, I was important here once". Time erases our footprints and I wasn't ready for it to erase hers!

[elliemathews]

I have loved growing old. I worry less about pleasing people. No longer care about frivilous things. Im more secure in who I am and no longer care if other people like the real me or not. There is so much freedom in that. I care less about what is going on in the news and how the world is a morally falling apart. My world has become so much smaller and all i really care about now is family and a few close friends. My body may ne slowly falling apart. That part isnt much fun. My back hurts, my eyes are weak. I gwt around slowly but i am not in a hurry anyways. I look at you g people just atarting on their journey and think to my self thank God i am not young anymore.

[lazydaisy]

You can’t beat an Irish accent reading Yeats

[johncarsone]

I have discovered that when you are old you are invisible.

[nudnikjeff]

I was exposed to this poem in college. I'm 75 now. It's still one of the most beautiful things I've ever read.

[penkeeling]

The dynamics of Cillian Murphy's voice makes this poem more compassionate and passionate than I have ever heard it.

[dawnwildman]

Japan has a national holiday to celebrate the elders in society. Indigenous Indians of North America celebrate and revere their elderly. We as Americans don't do this enough. I appreciate and love all elders...you are the hidden gem not to be ignored but to be revered!! God bless you!

[lindsaybradley]

When my parent were in assisted living they looked like a frail old couple who needed a lot of assistance. I got some lovely black and white photos of them when they were young adults, had them enlarged and hung them on the walls of their room. It is easy to pass an old person and not think about when they were young. The staff all remarked about them and talked to us about our parents.

[waderivers]

When we're young we chase after time. When we're old time chases after us. And towards the end we discover it is quicker.

[EveHoward]

Old age is reprehensible AND no one but no one prepares you for what to expect! Indeed in many instances you feel invisible! In other instances you are treated as though you have half a brain! BUT you never ever relinquish your inner power ❣️ God bless

[PLuMUK]

I keep wondering when old begins. I'm 70 next year and don't yet feel it. Physically, I have issues, but mentality I'm still 27 (with the sense of humour of a 13 year old).

My uncle died in his late 80s. During his final couple of weeks he was in hospital. He kept complaining to the nurses about all of the old men around him. Eventually, the nurses checked and the oldest of the "old" men were over 25 years younger than my uncle. Right up to the end he had a young outlook. I took my friend with me to the hospital, and he was amazed by my uncle.

He is still my role model.

[ls-l]

You are exactly the same inside. The sense if being oneself is the same. It's just the outer shell that has changed.

[oopurpledove]

I read this comment here on YouTube somewhere, I wish I knew who I could attribute it to. But it is absolutely the truth. “We are whispers and shadows now but once we were the thunder and the flame”.

[ainemcgowan]

I love WB Yeats and I love Cillian, how blessed we are here in Ireland.... Cillian read and spoke Mr Yeats poem and made it more beautiful....
How is that even possible ❤

[Siskos-pnnd]

It's a blessing to reach old age, a blessing denied to those who die young. My experiences along the path of aging, have made me a better person. I am better, more understanding, hopefully less judgemental, and more loving. I also feel I have much to say to make our world better, through my songs, my writings, but no one really wants to listen to the rants of an old man. I was the same as a young man, when I thought I knew it all.

[theresachiorazzi]

You don’t know about old age till you get there and when you do it saddens you to find the truth. ❤❤❤❤❤

[johnclarksr]

"When I was young my wings were strong and tireless,
But I did not know the mountains.
In age I knew the mountains,
But my weary wings could not follow my vision.

Genius is wisdom in youth."

- Edgar Lee Masters.