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In 1891 Francis Thompson wrote his poem 'Sister Songs'. In 1893, on the eve of the poem's publication Thompson suggested that his poem be dedicated to his publisher and benefactor Wilfrid Meynell, his publisher, refused the offer. The poet, nonplused, again wrote to Mr. Meynell:

'I cannot consent to the withdrawal of your name...Suffer this - the sole thing, as unfortunate necessities of exclusion would have it, which links this first, possibly only volume with your name - suffer this to stand. I will feel deeply hurt if you refuse me this gratification.'

Both Thompson's 'Sister Songs' and William Butler Yeats' 'Second Coming' describe the circumstances of the birth of a diety. Thompson's wanted 'Sister Songs', to be called the 'Amphicypellon'. (A golden cup from Greek myth) Thompson's publisher Mr. Meynell urged that the title be dropped for that of 'Sister Songs', but Thompson insisted that the title page be kept: 'an offering to two sisters'. The published poem had the following stanza omitted.

     'This errant song O pardon its much blame!
       Now my gray day grows bright
       A little ere the night
       Let after livers who may know my name,
       And guage the price I paid for dear-brought fame,
       Know that end,
       Pain was well paid, sweet Friend,
       Pain was well paid, sweet which brought me to your sight.'

Thompson, in his poem, 'Sister Songs', mentions Dryads, mythical winged tree spirits, which fly in a dancing motion making the bells strapped to their feet ring. The spirits trace a figure eight in the air. The cover of Everard Meynell's biography of Thompson is bare except for two tawny gold crowns, one of laurels, and the other of thorns. They are twined about each other in the symbol for infinity. Within 'Sister Songs', Thompson gives himself the role of a prophet. Thompson's own views on prophecy in relationship to his verse were:

'For me to write or speak at all is to resign myself to the knowledge that I am, in the present, addressing very few. It would be almost impossible, because quite futile, for me to write were I not convinced the few will one day be the many.'

Thompson told of prophets:

'Her brings up treasures from the deep sea of his time Impenetrable by those who only look on the surface-levels; but the deep waters of his time are the surface waters of a time to come.'

Wilfrid Meynell was friends with both Thompson and Yeats and he tried early on to have both meet each other. The first occasion for such a meeting was stalled by Thompson who wrote to Meynell.

Dear Wilfrid I could not come in to tea with Blunt and Yeats, for I had to go down to the Academy, and I was back much too late. Had I known on Thursday I would have altered my arrangements so as to accept your invitation. I am sorry to have missed this chance of meeting Yeats as I have long desired to do. You know I heartily admire his work.'

Thompson and Yeats, who both shared an interest in Mystic poetry, first met Thompson at the 'Rhymer's Club' a poetry appreciation society who gathered in small hired rooms above the 'Ye Olde Chesire Cheese' in the Strand. The gathering each read out loud their own poetry and then discussed how each could improve their works. Francis Thompson was reticent, not volunteering to read his poems.

Years later Yeat's wrote to Wilfrid Meynell of Thompson:

'Now I regret that I never met him, except once for a few minutes. An extreme idealism of the imagination seems to be incompatible in almost all with a perfectly harmonious relation to the mechanics of life.'

In 1886 Yeat's became close friends with the fellow Irish writer Katherine Tynan. In 1888 both Thompson and Tynan were living at the Meynell residence where Yeats was often entertained. In 1892 Tynan published Thompson's poem 'A making of Viola.' In 1912 Tynan posthumously published Thompson's essay 'Shelly', in the 'Dublin'.

Both Thompson's 1893 'Sister Songs' & Yeats' 'Second Coming', which was first published in November 1920, feature a dessert, a falcon, a religious site, a drowning, a vacant lion-creature, an infant, a cradle, tidal forces, and the passage of 2000 years.

THOMPSON AN INSPIRATION FOR YEATS?

To read a portion of Sister Songs and Second Coming side by side click here.