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| a poem by Yeats, sung by Carla Bruni |
cecibo |
02/17/07 |
I've recently heard a song based on a poem by Yeats, but I can't understand it very well (I'm Italian)
the poem is the following
XIX - THOSE DANCING DAYS ARE GONE
COME, let me sing into your ear;
Those dancing days are gone,
All that silk and satin gear;
Crouch upon a stone,
Wrapping that foul body up
In as foul a rag:
i{I carry the sun in a golden cup.}
i{The moon in a silver bag.}
Curse as you may I sing it through;
What matter if the knave
That the most could pleasure you,
The children that he gave,
Are somewhere sleeping like a top
Under a marble flag?
i{I carry the sun in a golden cup.}
i{The moon in a silver bag.}
I thought it out this very day.
Noon upon the clock,
A man may put pretence away
Who leans upon a stick,
May sing, and sing until he drop,
Whether to maid or hag:
i{I carry the sun in a golden cup,}
i{The moon in a silver bag.}
I don't know very much about the poet, but I vaguely understand that these are the thoughts of an old poet whose golden days as a young man have gone,but still he has his poetry to sing, feel vital and content with.
Am I right? What else could be said about it?
What remains quite obscure to me are some verses: could someone give, please, the literary explanation of
"...in as foul a rag" ( I don't understand the grammar structure here used)
and
"The children that he gave,
Are somewhere sleeping like a top
Under a marble flag?"
Who are these children? His dead children? Or do they have a metaphorical meaning?
Many thanks
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