The Rose of Battle
By William Butler Yeats
Rose of all Roses, Rose of all the World!
The tall thought-woven sails, that flap unfurled
Above the tide of hours, trouble the air,
And God’s bell buoyed to be the water’s care;
While hushed from fear, or loud with hope, a band
With blown, spray-dabbled hair gather at hand,
Turn if you may from battles never done,
I call, as they go by me one by one,
Danger no refuge holds, and war no peace,
For him who hears love sing and never cease,
Beside her clean-swept hearth, her quiet shade:
But gather all for whom no love hath made
A woven silence, or but came to cast
A song into the air, and singing passed
To smile on the pale dawn; and gather you
Who have sought more than is in rain or dew,
Or in the sun and moon, or on the earth,
Or sighs amid the wandering, starry mirth,
Or comes in laughter from the sea’s sad lips,
And wage God’s battles in the long grey ships.
The sad, the lonely, the insatiable,
To these Old Night shall all her mystery tell;
God’s bell has claimed them by the little cry
Of their sad hearts, that may not live nor die.
Rose of all Roses, Rose of all the World!
You, too, have come where the dim tides are hurled
Upon the wharves of sorrow, and heard ring
The bell that calls us on; the sweet far thing.
Beauty grown sad with its eternity
Made you of us, and of the dim grey sea.
Our long ships loose thought-woven sails and wait,
For God has bid them share an equal fate;
And when at last, defeated in His wars,
They have gone down under the same white stars,
We shall no longer hear the little cry
Of our sad hearts, that may not live nor die.
The tall thought-woven sails, that flap unfurled
Above the tide of hours, trouble the air,
And God’s bell buoyed to be the water’s care;
While hushed from fear, or loud with hope, a band
With blown, spray-dabbled hair gather at hand,
Turn if you may from battles never done,
I call, as they go by me one by one,
Danger no refuge holds, and war no peace,
For him who hears love sing and never cease,
Beside her clean-swept hearth, her quiet shade:
But gather all for whom no love hath made
A woven silence, or but came to cast
A song into the air, and singing passed
To smile on the pale dawn; and gather you
Who have sought more than is in rain or dew,
Or in the sun and moon, or on the earth,
Or sighs amid the wandering, starry mirth,
Or comes in laughter from the sea’s sad lips,
And wage God’s battles in the long grey ships.
The sad, the lonely, the insatiable,
To these Old Night shall all her mystery tell;
God’s bell has claimed them by the little cry
Of their sad hearts, that may not live nor die.
Rose of all Roses, Rose of all the World!
You, too, have come where the dim tides are hurled
Upon the wharves of sorrow, and heard ring
The bell that calls us on; the sweet far thing.
Beauty grown sad with its eternity
Made you of us, and of the dim grey sea.
Our long ships loose thought-woven sails and wait,
For God has bid them share an equal fate;
And when at last, defeated in His wars,
They have gone down under the same white stars,
We shall no longer hear the little cry
Of our sad hearts, that may not live nor die.
Poem Analysis:
William Butler Yeats’ poem The Rose of Battle is a deeply symbolic and evocative work that intertwines themes of war, beauty, fate, and transcendence. The poem presents an intricate meditation on the struggle between the material and the spiritual, exploring the tension between love and the call to battle. Through rich imagery and rhythmic language, Yeats crafts a work that speaks to the longing for something greater than earthly existence while acknowledging the sacrifices that come with such a pursuit.
Themes and Interpretation
The Rose as a Symbol
One of Yeats’ recurring motifs, the rose, serves as the central symbol in this poem. It represents both beauty and the ideal, something to be pursued but never fully possessed. The phrase “Rose of all Roses, Rose of all the World” elevates the rose to an almost divine status, suggesting it embodies a universal truth or an ultimate aspiration. However, this rose is not merely a symbol of love or peace but also of battle, tying it to the pursuit of something greater, be it artistic, nationalistic, or spiritual.The Call to Battle and Its Consequences
The poem speaks to those who have not found solace in love (“For him who hears love sing and never cease”) and instead choose to engage in a perpetual battle—possibly a metaphorical one, symbolizing the struggle for artistic creation, national identity, or even spiritual enlightenment. Yeats suggests that those who pursue such a battle will never find true refuge or peace. Instead, they are bound by an endless cycle of striving, unable to rest or escape the call of their chosen path.Yeats’ invocation of “God’s battles in the long grey ships” alludes to a larger cosmic or divine struggle. This could reference Irish nationalism, a recurring theme in Yeats’ work, as well as a more general spiritual quest. The reference to ships evokes Viking or Celtic warriors, reinforcing the idea of a destiny intertwined with conflict and conquest.The Tragic Fate of the Seekers
Throughout the poem, there is a melancholic recognition that those who seek beyond the tangible world—beyond “rain or dew, or in the sun and moon”—will ultimately be consumed by their pursuit. The notion of “beauty grown sad with its eternity” suggests that the eternal nature of ideal beauty carries with it an inherent sorrow, as those who chase after it are doomed to an endless cycle of longing.The closing lines reinforce this theme of eternal yearning: “We shall no longer hear the little cry / Of our sad hearts, that may not live nor die.” This haunting conclusion suggests that those who embrace the path of struggle and battle will neither truly live in the earthly sense nor find peace in death. They exist in a liminal space between triumph and despair, perpetually bound to their quest.
Structure and Style
Yeats employs a rhythmic and lyrical style in The Rose of Battle, with flowing lines that enhance the poem’s sense of movement and inevitability. The repeated invocation of the rose creates a musical, almost hypnotic effect, reinforcing the theme of destiny and compulsion.
The poem also balances personal reflection with grand, mythical imagery, blending intimate emotions with sweeping historical and cosmic references. This mixture of the personal and the epic is characteristic of Yeats’ poetry, allowing him to connect individual longing with larger themes of fate and history.
The Rose of Battle encapsulates Yeats’ preoccupation with the tension between beauty and strife, the mortal and the eternal, and the inescapable nature of destiny. Through the symbol of the rose, the poet crafts a meditation on those who reject the comforts of love and stability in favor of an endless pursuit—whether of artistic greatness, national identity, or spiritual truth. The poem’s haunting finality leaves the reader contemplating the sacrifices made in the pursuit of ideals, highlighting the eternal struggle between the ephemeral and the divine.