Solomon to Sheba by W.B. Yeats
The work is a lyrical dialogue between two iconic figures whose verbal exchange transforms love into both a unifying force and a limiting space. Each speaker alternates between proclaiming the transcendence of their union and recognizing its confined, almost paradoxical nature. Their conversation weaves intellectual exhibitionism with the physicality of affection—illustrated by gestures such as kisses—and employs recurring metaphors of narrow boundaries to signify the paradox of a love that wraps the entire world into an intimate, enclosed sphere. One voice extols the union’s intellectual and emotional supremacy, asserting that no one under the skies can rival the combined force of their shared wisdom and passion. This speaker positions their discourse as all-encompassing, suggesting that love transforms the world, reducing vast experiences into a concentrated, meaningful space that is as defined as it is expansive. He uses vivid imagery to underline how their continuous, circular conversation has quietly defined and confined the vast realms of human experience into a single, significant idea. The other voice, while accepting the depth of their bond, introduces a note of self-aware limitation by hinting that her own contributions are inherently as narrow or fixed as the physical space they metaphorically describe. This voice critiques the pretension that could come from an overly learned discourse, implying that genuine love does not primarily reside in intellectual prowess, but rather in the essential, even if limited, expressions of shared emotion. In doing so, she underscores that the profound intimacy they experience arises not from abstract knowledge but from a lived, visceral connection that transforms every moment into an emblem of their determined, albeit confined, passion. Together, the speakers frame their love as something that, despite its seemingly limited scope—a “narrow pound”—encompasses every facet of existence. The work suggests that love’s paradox lies in its ability to both restrict and liberate; the very boundaries that seem to limit their world simultaneously serve to intensify and define it. In their intimate dialogue, love becomes a microcosm where the strict confines of conversation and the expansiveness of genuine connection coexist, each informing and enriching the other. This synthesis of intellectual wit and emotional immediacy challenges traditional dichotomies between reason and passion. The piece intimates that the value of love is not in its boundlessness, but in its capacity to define and give meaning to a shared, even if circumscribed, reality. Ultimately, the text portrays the lovers’ exchange as a compact universe where every word and gesture—whether celebrated for its scholarly elegance or its raw intimacy—contributes to a cohesive, transformative experience.
By W.B. Yeats · First published 1928 · Genre: Lyric Poetry, Romantic Poetry, Symbolist Poetry · 216 words
First lines
Sang Solomon to Sheba, / And kissed her dusky face, / 'All day long from mid-day / We have talked in the one place, / All day long from shadowless noon / We have gone round and round / In the narrow theme of love / Like an old horse in a pound.'
To Solomon sang Sheba, / Planted on his knees, / 'If you had broached a matter / That might the learned please, / You had before the sun had thrown / Our shadows on the ground / Discovered that my thoughts, not it, / Are but a narrow pound.'
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Solomon to Sheba is listed on Textopian as a poem by W.B. Yeats, dated 1928 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: W.B. Yeats
- Date: 1928 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Lyric Poetry, Romantic Poetry, Symbolist Poetry, Dramatic Poetry
- Length: 216 words
- Structure: 1 section, 3 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
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- Work identity for Solomon to Sheba by W.B. Yeats
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Genres
- Lyric Poetry — The work emphasizes personal emotion, musical language, and poetic form characteristic of lyric verse.
- Romantic Poetry — It centers on themes of love and passionate expression through dialogue between legendary figures.
- Symbolist Poetry — The poem employs rich imagery and allegory, using historical and mythical references to evoke deeper meanings.
- Dramatic Poetry — The conversational structure and distinct voices in the text lend it qualities of a dramatic dialogue.
Tags
drama · biblical · historical · mythical · allegorical · romance · symbolism · mysticism · poetry · legend · performance · epic