The Human Seasons

Four Seasons fill the measure of the year; 
    There are four seasons in the mind of man: 
He has his lusty Spring, when fancy clear 
    Takes in all beauty with an easy span: 
He has his Summer, when luxuriously 
    Spring's honied cud of youthful thought he loves 
To ruminate, and by such dreaming high 
    Is nearest unto heaven: quiet coves 
His soul has in its Autumn, when his wings 
    He furleth close; contented so to look 
On mists in idleness--to let fair things 
    Pass by unheeded as a threshold brook. 
He has his Winter too of pale misfeature, 
Or else he would forego his mortal nature.






In this poem discussing the transformation of a man throughout a year, Yeats points out the human faults and desires. With each passing season, the subject's once "easy span"is now more of a hardship on him. This can be seen as an allusion to a man's whole life.


Allusion - "mind of man" (2)
Sounds smooth and effortless (to get effect of man's life at this point)


Metaphor - "He has his Winter too of pale misfeature, / Or else he would forego his mortal nature." (13-14)
Man's state of mind = winter

Allusion - "He furleth close; contented so to look "
Linking seasons and man's transformation over seasons