Under The Metal Man Sligo in Yeats
, by Hassett, Joseph M
- ISBN: 9781843518846 | 1843518848
- Cover: Paperback
- Copyright: 6/28/2024
This handsome volume presents more than twenty images of book covers, poems and other works that reflect Sligo’ s presence in the work of W.B. Yeats and his family. Thoughtful reflections accompany the images, many of which are of first editions found in the ‘ Yeats in Sligo’ collection at the Yeats Society. They invite us to experience Yeats’ s poetry as he wanted contemporary readers to receive it.
The beautiful Cuala Press editions in the Sligo collection are themselves works of art created by W.B.’ s sister Elizabeth Yeats. Images of such precious artefacts found in this book are part of what Henry James called ‘ the visitable past’ – a realm containing ‘ the fragrance of … the poetry of the thing outlived and yet in which the precious element of closeness, telling so of connections but tasting so of differences, remains appreciable’ .
The title of this book is a composite. The first element is the name of the poem in which Yeats declares that he lies ‘ Under Ben Bulben’ in Drumcliffe churchyard. The second is ‘ The Metal Man’ , a figure on a beacon that guides ships to and from Sligo, who came to embody the Yeats siblings’ memories of their childhood under his watchful eyes.
This small gem of a book will have a reach far beyond Sligo as an illuminating companion and delightful gift to all readers of Irish poetry.
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