Liam Neeson reads WB Yeats' Easter 1916 | RTÉ

I have met them the close of day coming with vivid faces from contour or desk among gray eighteenth-century houses I have passed with a nod of the head or polite meaningless words or have lingered awhile and said polite meaningless words and thought before I have done of a mocking tale or a jibe to please a companion around the fire at the club being certain that they and I but lived were motley as worn all changed changed utterly and terrible beauty is born that woman's days were spent in ignorant goodwill her nights and argument until her voice grew shriller what voice more sweet than hers when young and beautiful she wrote to her ears this man had kept a school and rode our wing and horse this other his helper and friend was coming into his force he might have won fame in the end so sensitive his nature seemed so daring and sweet his thought this other man I had dreamed a drunken vainglorious Lord he had done most bitter wrong to some we were near my heart yet I number him and the song he too has resigned his part in the casual comedy he too has been changed in his turn transformed utterly a terrible beauty is born hearts with one purpose alone through summer and winter seem enchanted to a stone to trouble the living stream the horse that comes from the road the rider the birds that range from cloud to tumbling cloud minute by minute they change a shadow of cloud on the stream changes minute by minute a horse hoof slides on the brim and a horse plushies within it the long-legged more hands dive and hands two more crocks call minute by minute they live the stones in the midst of all too long a sacrifice can make a stone of the heart Oh when may it suffice at a sevens part our part murmur name upon name as a mother names her child when sleep with lastest come on limbs that had wronged wild what is it but nightfall no no not night but death wasn't needless death after all for England may keep faith for all that is done and said we know their dream enough to know they dreamed and are dead and what of excess of love bewildered them till they died I write it out in a verse McDonough and McBride and crumbly and Pierce now and in time to be wherever green is worn are changed changed utterly the terrible beauty is born you

Channel: RTÉ - IRELAND’S NATIONAL PUBLIC SERVICE MEDIA

Views: 131,703

Rating: 4.9523292 out of 5

Keywords: RTE, RTÉ, RTÉ One, RTÉ Two, Raidió Teilifís Éireann, Ireland, Irish, Radio Teleifis Eireann

Id: VLt_OuzW9n0

Length: 4min 7sec (247 seconds)

Published: Fri Mar 18 2016

Reddit Comments

[u/leodavidci]

It’s amazing to hear the words of a part of my leaving cert from over 35 years ago given such Life.

I listened to this twice, the first while watching the video, the second with only the sound. Just wonderful.

[u/MrTu]

Goosebumps. Learned about WBY in the National library for the first time this week and fell in love immediately.

[u/Far_General]

Hi Liam if you could just read out this Yeat's passage that'd be great.

Liam: "I don't have any money...."