| This poem was written by Yeats in the memory of his dear friend and fellow nationalist Major Robert Gregory. The son of Lady Gregory, they were great friends and did a lot together to help the peotic and nationalist movement forward in Ireland. His thoughts of this great man are expressed vividly throughout the poem. He begins by naming some of the other friends that he has whom have died and live only in his memory. Accompaning their names he adds pleasent little tid bits about their lives which he remembers them by. It is not until the VI stanza that Robert Gregory is actually spoken of directly and from there the rest of the poem goes on to describe him and how he was thought of by Yeats. He says that the Major loved all things, even those that many would consider burdons. In the end Yeats expresses his profound sorrow at the loss of such a dear friend whom with he had shared mant of the best times in his life. His death was enough to leave the great poet at a loss of words, a rare occasion I am sure. |