An Irish Airman Foresees His Death

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An Irish Airman Foresees His Death

• W B YEATS

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I know that I shall meet my fateSomewhere among
the clouds aboveThose that I fight I do not
hate,Those that I guard I do not loveMy
country is Kiltartan Cross,My countrymen
Kiltartans poor,No likely end could bring them
lossOr leave them happier than before.Nor law,
nor duty bade me fight,Nor public men, nor
cheering crowds,A lonely impulse of
delightDrove to this tumult in the cloudsI
balanced all, brought all to mind,The years to
come seemed waste of breath,A waste of breath
the years behindIn balance with this life, this
death.
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BACKGROUND TO POEM

• Written as an epitaph for Major Robert Gregory
• son of W.B.Yeats's friend , Lady Gregory,
• Joined the Royal Flying Corps in 1916, and he
  became Chevalier of the Legion d'Honneur in 1917.
  
• Gregory earned a Military Cross 'for conspicuous
  gallantry and devotion to duty.' 
• He died tragically at the age of thirty-seven
  when an Italian pilot mistakenly shot him down.

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AN IRISH AIRMAN FORESEES HIS DEATH

• Impending death it is inevitable
• Many soldiers/pilots entered the war knowing they
  would never return
• Sense of helplessness

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I know that I shall meet my fateSomewhere among
the clouds aboveThose that I fight I do not
hate,Those that I guard I do not love
IRONY
What was Irelands political stance/position
during WW1?
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Kiltartan Cross Gregory residence in County
Galway, Ireland
My country is Kiltartan Cross,My countrymen
Kiltartans poor,No likely end could bring them
lossOr leave them happier than before.
METONOMY
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Catalogue of reasons why soldiers traditionally
fight
Nor law, nor duty bade me fight,Nor public men,
nor cheering crowds,A lonely impulse of
delightDrove to this tumult in the clouds
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Irish Nationalism vs British Rule
I balanced all, brought all to mind,The years to
come seemed waste of breath,A waste of breath
the years behindIn balance with this life, this
death.