by William Butler Yeats (1865 - 1939)

Under bare Ben Bulben's head
Language: English 
Under bare Ben Bulben's head
In Drumcliff churchyard Yeats is laid,   
An ancestor was rector there
Long years ago; a church stands near,
By the road an ancient Cross.
No marble, no conventional phrase,   
On limestone quarried near the spot   
By his command these words are cut:

               Cast a cold eye   
               On life, on death.   
               Horseman, pass by!

About the headline (FAQ)

Confirmed with The Collected Poems of W.B. Yeats, edited by Richard Finneran, Macmillan Publishing Company, 1989


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Researcher for this page: Joost van der Linden [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2026-10-31
Line count: 11
Word count: 58