She walks in beauty, like the night, Of cloudless climes and starry skies. - George Gordon Byron

An Irish Airman Foresees His Death

by W.B Yeats

1. I know that I shall meet my fate
 2. Somewhere among the clouds above;
 3. Those that I fight I do not hate,
 4. Those that I guard I do not love;
5. My country is Kiltartan Cross,
 6. My countrymen Kiltartan's poor,
 7. No likely end could bring them loss
 8. Or leave them happier than before.
 9. Nor law, nor duty bade me fight,
 10. Nor public men, nor cheering crowds,
 11. A lonely impulse of delight
 12. Drove to this tumult in the clouds;
 13. I balanced all, brought all to mind,
 14. The years to come seemed waste of breath,
 15. A waste of breath the years behind
 16. In balance with this life, this death.

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Click on a line to see some annotations. 1. I believe this suggests that death was coming to him one way or another. 2. Could be the sky, could be Heaven. 3. Something most servicemen would agree with. 4. Hey, we all have our reasons to fight. He's no different. 5. Irish patriotism at its best. 6. People we can all agree to fight for. 7. But England's difficulty was Ireland's opportunity, remember? 8. Another great line. 9. Ridiculous that laws ever made anyone fight. Conscription...what a a joke. 10. Cheering crowds: Not interested Cheering broads: Different story ;) 11. Fuck this site!!! 12. Clouds making a reappearance from here from line 2. 13. Ha mate, I don't think balanced is a word you can be using non-ironically. 14. A disturbing thought. A growing one with young people nowadays, something I worry about. 15. In fairness to him, he lived in Kiltartan. 16. I'll see you in Valhalla, fictional poem pilot!