These are the Clouds by W.B. Yeats
The work meditates on the inevitable decay of greatness and the cyclic reversal of order. It opens by presenting vivid images of natural phenomena—a sun obscured by clouds—to symbolize the decline of power and the erosion of what once was exalted. The poem asserts that the force which elevates may ultimately be undone by the very elements that sustain it, illustrating a natural process whereby strength gives way to weakness and lofty achievements crumble into commonality. Throughout the text, the imagery of a dying sun and its shrouding clouds serves as a metaphor for both the grandeur of past triumphs and the subsequent diminishment that time and fate impose. The transformation from majesty to mediocrity is depicted as an inescapable fate, suggesting that even the peaks of human and natural accomplishment are transient. Efforts to preserve or mourn such greatness are rendered ultimately futile, as the natural order perpetually reestablishes its balance through decay and renewal. A central theme is the tension between creation and dissolution. The poem critiques the human tendency to venerate achievements even as it subconsciously acknowledges that all constructs—be they physical, political, or cultural—are susceptible to the forces of entropy. The act of recalling or lamenting lost glory is itself a recognition of the impermanence inherent in all forms of order. By invoking the image of a "fallen sun" and its attendant clouds, the work also touches upon the paradox that true greatness, while momentarily brilliant, is inevitably destined to be overtaken by the broader, impersonal rhythms of nature and time. There is an ironic sense to the criticism. The text suggests that by clinging to the ideals of grandeur and lamenting what is lost, one only amplifies the transient nature of achievement. The very act of mourning for past glories becomes a companion to their dissolution, reinforcing the idea that the cycles of rise and fall are intrinsic to existence. The poet presents this dichotomy as a testament to the natural order of things, where every high point is inevitably counterbalanced by a descent into obscurity. In sum, the work serves as a meditation on impermanence, urging the reader to recognize that human constructs of power, beauty, and success are bound by the relentless passage of time. It is both an elegy for what has been lost and a sober reminder that the forces which elevate society are the same forces that eventually dismantle it. The underlying message is clear: greatness, no matter how exalted, is ultimately transient, subject to the inexorable processes of decay and renewal that define the natural world.
By W.B. Yeats · First published 1928 · Genre: Poetry, Lyric Poetry, Symbolist Poetry · 138 words
First lines
These are the clouds about the fallen sun, / The majesty that shuts his burning eye; / The weak lay hand on what the strong has done, / Till that be tumbled that was lifted high / And discord follow upon unison, / And all things at one common level lie. / And therefore, friend, if your great race were run / And these things came, so much the more thereby / Have you made greatness your companion, / Although it be for children that you sigh: / These are the clouds about the fallen sun, / The majesty that shuts his burning eye.
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These are the Clouds is listed on Textopian as a poem by W.B. Yeats, dated 1928 CE.
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- Work type: Poem
- Author: W.B. Yeats
- Date: 1928 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Lyric Poetry, Symbolist Poetry, Modernist Poetry, Allegorical Poetry
- Length: 138 words
- Structure: 1 section, 1 paragraphs
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Genres
- Poetry — The work is written in verse form, employing poetic devices and structured imagery.
- Lyric Poetry — The poem conveys personal emotion and uses musical language typical of the lyric tradition.
- Symbolist Poetry — The imagery and ambiguous symbols evoke deeper, layered meanings consistent with symbolist aesthetics.
- Modernist Poetry — Yeats’ innovative use of form and exploration of myth and history align with modernist literary trends.
Tags
poetry · symbolism · modernism · mysticism · Irish · mythology · visionary · spiritual · romantic · nature · metaphor · esoteric