To a Young Girl by W.B. Yeats (1896)
The work explores a deeply personal and passionate connection between the speaker and a young woman, asserting an unmatched understanding of her inner emotional life—a knowledge surpassing even that of her own mother. It deals with the tension between private emotional truths and public or familial understanding, emphasizing that the inner workings of the heart are known in their fullest intensity only by those who experience profound, transformative love. The speaker recounts a past experience of heartbreak, suggesting that such emotional trials ignite a fierce, almost wild energy within her, evident in the vivid imagery of stirred blood and glittering eyes. The text captures the dual nature of intense love: its ability to both beautify and wound, to illuminate life’s deepest passions while also fracturing established bonds. Themes of intimacy, the inevitability of emotional turbulence, and the solitary nature of personal passion are interwoven throughout, reflecting on how such experiences can redefine one’s identity and understanding of love.
By W.B. Yeats · First published 1896 · Genre: Poetry, Lyric Poetry, Love Poetry · 89 words
First lines
My dear, my dear, I know / More than another / What makes your heart beat so; / Not even your own mother / Can know it as I know, / Who broke my heart for her / When the wild thought, / That she denies / And has forgot, / Set all her blood astir / And glittered in her eyes.
What this Textopian page supports
To a Young Girl is listed on Textopian as a poem by W.B. Yeats, dated 1896 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: 1896 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Lyric Poetry, Love Poetry, Romantic Poetry, Symbolism
- Length: 89 words
- Structure: 1 section, 1 paragraphs
Good citation fit
- Work identity for To a Young Girl by W.B. Yeats
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Genres
- Poetry — The work is a poem by W.B. Yeats, characterized by its form and poetic structure.
- Lyric Poetry — The poem expresses personal emotions and internal reflections in a lyrical style.
- Love Poetry — The text explores themes of affection, desire, and intimate emotional understanding.
- Romantic Poetry — The poem's focus on intense personal feeling and idealized love aligns with romantic traditions.
Tags
poetry · Irish literature · lyrical · romantic · symbolism · imagery · mysticism · philosophy · nature · spirituality · mythology · emotion