His Phoenix
By William Butler Yeats
There is a queen in China, or maybe its in Spain,
And birthdays and holidays such praises can be heard
Of her unblemished lineaments, a whiteness with no stain,
That she might be that sprightly girl who was trodden by a bird;
And theres a score of duchesses, surpassing womankind,
Or who have found a painter to make them so for pay
And smooth out stain and blemish with the elegance of his mind:
I knew a phoenix in my youth so let them have their day.
The young men every night applaud their Gabys laughing eye,
And Ruth St. Denis had more charm although she had poor luck;
From nineteen hundred nine or ten, Pavlovas had the cry,
And theres a player in the States who gathers up her cloak
And flings herself out of the room when Juliet would be bride
With all a womans passion, a childs imperious way,
And there arebut no matter if there are scores beside:
I knew a phoenix in my youth so let them have their day.
Theres Margaret and Marjorie and Dorothy and Nan,
A Daphne and a Mary who live in privacy;
Ones had her fill of lovers, anothers had but one,
Another boasts, I pick and choose and have but two or three.
If head and limb have beauty and the insteps high and light,
They can spread out what sail they please for all I have to say,
Be but the breakers of mens hearts or engines of delight:
I knew a phoenix in my youth so let them have their day.
Therell be that crowd to make men wild through all the centuries,
And maybe therell be some young belle walk out to make men wild
Who is my beautys equal, though that my heart denies,
But not the exact likeness, the simplicity of a child,
And that proud look as though she had gazed into the burning sun,
And all the shapely body no tittle gone astray,
I mourn for that most lonely thing; and yet Gods will be done,
I knew a phoenix in my youth, so let them have their day.