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When I think of all the books I have read, and of the wise words I have heard spoken, and of the anxiety I have given to parents and grandparents, and of the hopes that I have had, all life weighed in the scales of my own life seems to me a preparation for something that never happens.
William Butler Yeats
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Interpretation

What this quote means

The quote reflects on life's experiences as a preparation for something elusive and unattainable.

William Butler Yeats expresses a sense of existential contemplation, where he reflects on the vast array of experiences he has gathered through reading, listening to wisdom, and dealing with personal anxieties. He conveys a feeling of disillusionment as he realizes that despite all these preparations, life seems to lead to an unresolved anticipation for something significant that ultimately never materializes.

Themes

LifePreparationWisdomExperienceAnxietyDisillusionment

In practice

Example use cases

In a graduation speech to highlight the unpredictability of life.

More from William Butler Yeats

If a poet interprets a poem of his own he limits its suggestibility.
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