What an honor! As an english student studying poetry and coming across this, is truly a gift.

I have a book signed by William Butler Yeats.

I'm Iraqi , I still dream visiting Great Ireland and going where Yeats went and sing .

Yeats is a singer, his poems are songs. Russian poets have this same chanting style of reading. I love it. We have made poetry more and more of the intellect, sharing our thoughts, but surly we should let it return to music. It finds its home there.

How wonderful to be able to hear Yeats read his own beautiful poetry. Thank you so much!

I memorized and recited The Isle of Innesfree for my father on his deathbed, and then he died in front of me. Rosemary Kavanagh O'Carroll

What a treat to hear his voice. My favorite all time poet.

I have not listened to this in several years. I had an old copy of his "Selected poems & Plays". It was a strange looking book. Red cover. Red was odd. In a good way. I carried that old book forever. Read it a hundred times. I grew up adoring it and Yeats' writing. In my later years- about late 20s I decided to give that one special old book to a dear friend of mine. That friend is gone now. About 7 years. Hard to think about that but that magical old red book . It was shared with one of the truest human beings you can image. or maybe you cant. But my dearest friend- my comrade- my wee bit of laughter that I needed so much - Paul- County Laois Ireland. I gave the words to you and we miss you and we still cherish you. Your breath & spirit are still with us. But you....♥ we miss you dear-heart.

OH MY GOSH! This is my great (x4) uncle! This is so cool. Thank you!!!

I hope that people listening to this take Yeats' endorsement of William Morris as a great poet seriously and look into that sadly neglected poet. Most people are familiar with his wallpaper designs more than his poems. See for example: A Garden by the Sea I know a little garden-close, Set thick with lily and red rose, Where I would wander if I might From dewy morn to dewy night, And have one with me wandering. And though within it no birds sing, And though no pillared house is there, And though the apple-boughs are bare Of fruit and blossom, would to God Her feet upon the green grass trod, And I beheld them as before. There comes a murmur from the shore, And in the close two fair-streams are, Drawn from the purple hills afar, Drawn down unto the restless sea: Dark hills whose heath-bloom feeds no bee, Dark shore no ship has ever seen, Tormented by the billows green Whose murmur comes unceasingly Unto the place for which I cry. For which I cry both day and night, For which I let slip all delight, Whereby I grow both deaf and blind, Careless to win, unskilled to find, And quick to lose what all men seek. Yet tottering as I am and weak, Still have I left a little breath To seek within the jaws of death An entrance to that happy place, To seek the unforgotten face, Once seen, once kissed, once reft from me Anigh the murmuring of the sea.

My dad used to tell me about this recording, and what Yeats said. Lovely to find it...

Thank you for posting this amazing recording. It is magic to hear the great man himself recite his own poetry.

thank you, than you for the sound of Yeats' voice and his words.. when in the miserable present moment and in grey city concerns, Yeats reminds me that there is a deep heart's core.

I always come back to this video because it is the only sound that satisfies my longing to know Yeats as Man.

I love you forever, William, soul of Ireland ♥

- as a young teenager I visted his grave 'Cast a cold Eye On Life, on Death. Horseman, pass by!'

So brilliant to hear this beautiful poetry in his own voice.

Thank you so much for posting this, I love this poem and it is amazing to have it read by W.B Yeats

Beautiful to hear his voice, thank you so much for sharing!

What a privilege to hear Mr William Butler Yeats read his own work, on this day, the 150th anniversary of his birth on 13th June 1865. Thank you for sharing these wonderful recordings. :)

Hello Ireland! Greetings from Ukraine. Love W.B.Yeats poems. He was great.

This was amazing to listen to while I read it from my book of the collected poems of W. B. Yeats. And what he did with rhythm brought the poem to life

It's actually amazing to hear him recite his own poetry. So proud to be related to this man. And great way to study for my exam tomorrow!! x

The accent is truly Sligo.

Glad to hear this with the full intro which was not included on the Now and in Times to Come CD, love hearing his voice; the 2nd one i never heard, thank you ~ Aloha ~

Treating myself to this on my 70th birthday. Salute to the masters gone before.

Finally, at 72, last year, i got to arise and go. Before it was too late. It was amazing: there was one other person there, overlooking Innisfree. I learned the story of how, when Yeats was young, he walked all the way there from Sligo. On a small building, near the overlook, someone had stenciled a picture of his face, and the slogan, “Poetry saved my life.” May it save us all. May we once again be able to sit in cafès and have those quintessential Yeatsian moments: “While on the shop and street I gazed My body of a sudden blazed; And twenty minutes more or less It seemed, so great my happiness, That I was blessed and could bless”

This is fabulous! Thank you so much for posting.

I did not know of these recordings before - what a wonderful historical record to hear such a poet reading his own work. Thank you very much for posting this =)

Wonderful, its amazing to hear that little moment that has been captured in time.

Wonderful stuff. Thank you very much for this! :)

A rare privilege to hear him! thank you brychar66, very much

I RISE in the dawn, and I kneel and blow Till the seed of the fire flicker and glow; And then I must scrub and bake and sweep Till stars are beginning to blink and peep; And the young lie long and dream in their bed Of the matching of ribbons for bosom and head, And their y goes over in idleness, And they sigh if the wind but lift a tress: While I must work because I am old, And the seed of the fire gets feeble and cold.

Eternal gratitude.

this video helped me a lot on a report on 'The Lake Isle of Innisfree'. this man was and always will be a great poet

The greatest poet ever to write in the English language bar none.

Lovely to listen to the poet himself. I collect all W B Y`s collections of poems.

I been to his grave twice now. Its very plain. Love the way he reads this, its kind of enchanting.

it does stay in the mind n touches the heart ............

Oh this is a great find! Thank you.

Yeats was born in Dublin,Yeats in life and death will remain Ireland.

This Irish boy is in awe. Thank you. go raibh maith agat.

part of this was in a cd rom encyclopedia when i was a kid. i have loved his work ever since.

LOVE this man so much! The best. This isnt my favorite poem of his but it IS cool to hear him. God bless him. Thanx 4 posting!

Such an honor to be able to listen to the man known as the greatest poet in Ireland; thanks for uploading this. His Castle of Heroes lives on in memory, in thought and emotion.

What a treasure - readings by the poet himself!!! Thank you brychar66 for sharing it.

I wish we had more recordings of poets reading their poetry...It is so illuminating..

Thank you for this

Thank you for sharing..

I have really enjoyed listening to Eliot and Yeats

Wonderful. Thank you!

This is beautiful. I get to sing it. With a choir. I really like it the poem is beautiful.

wonderful, thank you. i'm hoping to include in a piece for community radio.

I get chills listening to this.

Thank you for this excellent answer.

Priceless!

its so nice to fall asleep to this

Thank you!

Thank you. I did. I can't think of anything more to add without being patronizing. His genius is known; I wouldn't expect more. With that being said; his words move me, even me! An uncultured auto mechanic. When I recite The Song of Wandering Aengus to myself, it moves me. I don't know why.

Musician Loreena McKennitt has set some of Yeats and Tennyson's poetry to music. "She Moved Thru the Fair", "Bonny Swans", "Lady of Shallott." Her voice is beautiful. Classified as World/Celtic mostly. If you like her listen to "Dante's Prayer". Written after seeing dispair of Russia and reading "Dante's Inferno" in 1995 train trip. There is no one quite like her. Find these on youtube.

fantastic discovery (a classic version recorded in song by the waterboys is a worthy listen)

Happy birthday, Mr. Yeats :)

I'm happy to hear his voice

My favourite poem x

I'm haunted with his great sense in many of his great works .

Dorothy Katherine Hawley Ackenhusen passed away peacefully at home in Ann Arbor, Mich., on June 24, 2015, at age 90. She was a true intellectual with a kind and loving heart. She was also a real fighter for life, persisting under hospice care for well over one year despite her ailments. She is survived by her husband, John Goodyear Ackenhusen; and four children, Delmer Harold Reed Jr., Jon Anthony Reed, Carlton Kent Reed, and Katherine Michele Reed. Kay was born October 17, 1924 in St. Albans, W.Va., to Katherine Melissa Wells Hawley and William Harold Hawley. She spent the last 43 years of her life married to her loving husband, John G. Ackenhusen. She was formerly married to Delmer Harold Reed. Kay earned a bachelor's degree in English and religion (summa cum laude) from The University of Charleston (W.Va.). While teaching full time, she earned a master's degree in English literature (minor in philosophy) from Marshall University (W.Va.) specializing in Irish literature with emphasis on the writings of William Butler Yeats. She attended the Yeats Summer School, Sligo, Ireland, for six summers. She was a gifted and brilliant teacher who inspired her students to challenge themselves and to see a world beyond themselves. During her career, she taught English Language and Literature at Fairleigh Dickinson University (Madison, N.J.), Eastern Michigan University (Ypsilanti, Mich.), and University of Charleston (W.Va.). She also taught English and speech at South Charleston High School (W.Va.), where she was the only female advisor in the United States of the Hi-Y young men's club. She transmitted her enthusiasm for all things Irish to her husband and her 2,000 plus students. She was regarded by many of her students as one of their best teachers. She was active in the Presbyterian Church, teaching Sunday school and developing curriculum. Since moving to Ann Arbor, she participated in the Faculty Women's Club, Ann Arbor Women's City Club, the Ann Arbor Thrift Shop, and the choir of the First Presbyterian Church of Ann Arbor. Since the passing of her beloved dog over 25 years ago, she brought four dogs and two cats into her pet family over a period of two years, all of whom provided her comfort in her last years by snuggling with her constantly. A memorial service is scheduled for 2 p.m. Sunday July 19, at First Presbyterian Church, 1432 Washtenaw Avenue, Ann Arbor, followed by a memorial reception at Conor O'Neill's Irish Pub, 318 S. Main, Ann Arbor (additional parking available at the funeral home within walking distance). Visitation will occur the day before, Saturday, July 18, 2015, at Muehlig Funeral Chapel, 403 S. Fourth Avenue, Ann Arbor, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Information will be accumulated and posted under Kay's name at: www.muehligannarbor.com. Won't you please post your memories for us? Contributions in memory of Dorothy Katherine Ackenhusen may be made to The First Presbyterian Church of Ann Arbor, 1432 Washtenaw Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI 48104. *** Tough, inspiring teacher; loyal, good always. *** - See more at: www.wvgazette.com/gz/Obituaries#sthash.FtSkfavn.dpuf

I love this great Poet. Love from Libya

Great. Many thanks

One cannot not feel hearty acknowledgedness towards this great writer W.B.YEATS.

I just had the opportunity this last year. It was life changing.

Oh what a special pleasure!

Precious🌹

A man of spirit and nature.

beeeuttiful.

thanks for this..

Ya YEAT!!!

Thank you.

I found out recently he used to hang out with the Bloomsbury set near where I grew up.

I just visited the place he died, Cap-Martin, France. The house is still there. Very pretty place. 1939.

as a cuban nationalist, living iin the us, i respect yeatsto to the almost, and to hear his voice, is a miracle.

Priceless

Great video.

The best of the top

222 Comments!!! My Daddy Would Read Me From Yeats As A Child Instead Of Bedtime Stories...You Are In My Blood, WB Yeats!!! Blessings from Bella V

probably my favourite poet of 20th century

I hope you get to go there some day!

Mesmerising…..

@brychar66 -- I have spent a little time this evening following your line of thought. I have noticed your posts hitherto. I like the Klavier renditition of the Liebestod on your first site. I remember the the first performance I saw live at the Zurich Opera House in the early 1960's. It is so well situated. My sincere compliments on your Cavafy translations. understated, yes. from a fellow goat, all food fortune .... raven

it sounds like a song :) LOVE IT

This is a treasure.

very welcome!

The great man.

Greatest

There is tonality there, reminds me of Leonard Cohen!

2019 anyone

Poet who is starting to sound now like a prophet here and there.

Any digitally cleaned-up version of Yeats' recordings floating about, I wonder?

Magic..

I still think that Yeats is the greatest modern poet than anyone else.

I hope you are not disappointed with what you find there.