No Country for Old Men

Mary Ann Reilly

No Country for Old Men

Hudson River
New York State

Sailing to Byzantium a Poem
by William Butler Yeats


I

That is no country for old men. The young
In one another’s arms, birds in the trees
- Those dying generations – at their song,
The salmon-falls, the mackerel-crowded seas,
Fish, flesh, or fowl, commend all summer long
Whatever is begotten, born, and dies.
Caught in that sensual music all neglect
Monuments of unageing intellect.

II

An aged man is but a paltry thing,
A tattered coat upon a stick, unless
Soul clap its hands and sing, and louder sing
For every tatter in its mortal dress,
Nor is there singing school but studying
Monuments of its own magnificence;
And therefore I have sailed the seas and come
To the holy city of Byzantium.

III

O sages standing in God’s holy fire
As in the gold mosaic of a wall,
Come from the holy fire, perne in a gyre,
And be the singing-masters of my soul.
Consume my heart away; sick with desire
And fastened to a dying animal
It knows not what it is; and gather me
Into the artifice of eternity.

IV

Once out of nature I shall never take
My bodily form from any natural thing,
But such a form as Grecian goldsmiths make
Of hammered gold and gold enamelling
To keep a drowsy Emperor awake;
Or set upon a golden bough to sing
To lords and ladies of Byzantium
Of what is past, or passing, or to come.

Featured in the Group: Images and Ideas
Featured in the Group: JPG Cast-Offs
Featured in the Group: Inspired By Poetry
Featured in the Group: Art by Bubble Hosts

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No Country for Old Men by Mary Ann Reilly
No Country for Old Men by Mary Ann Reilly
  • Nelson Campbell

    Nelson Campbell

    This makes me yearn toward it all – the boat, the sky, the water, and what a wonderful read to go with it…Nice to see you Mary Ann…;-)

  • Mary Ann Reilly replied

    Good to see you too Nels. I;’ve been in a bit of an art rut so this work felt good. Thanks for your comments:)

  • Ralph Olsson

    Ralph Olsson

    This is truly beautiful Mary Ann…and the title . used by my favourite author!!!! An absolute hot shot for me:)

  • Mary Ann Reilly replied

    thanks Ralph. It’s hard to not be moved by Yeats.

  • lorilee

    lorilee

    Perfect!!!!! Absolutely beautiful!!!!!

  • Mary Ann Reilly replied

    thanks so much:)

  • RonnieGinnever

    RonnieGinnever

    Very special!

  • Mary Ann Reilly replied

    Ronnie, thanks:)

  • ooyayootay

    ooyayootay

    Stunning! Beautiful shot! Well composed and executed! And thanks for the poem to accompany it!

    Excellent work, Mary Ann!

  • Mary Ann Reilly replied

    Yeats is always good to read aloud.

  • Bradley Nichol

    Bradley Nichol

    • Well done Mary Ann – both photo and verse. It is great to be your colleague and also very ok to be able to do this:

  • Mary Ann Reilly replied

    Woo HOO: THanks BRadley

  • KarenKSmith

    KarenKSmith

    Oh this is just excellent and congrats on the JPG Cast-Offs feature!

  • Mary Ann Reilly replied

    Thanks Karen. Feels good.

  • Wendi Donaldson

    Wendi Donaldson

    Stunning capture, Mary Ann….and beautiful verse to boot!! Congrats on your well deserved feature!

  • Mary Ann Reilly replied

    Wendi thanks so much:~)

  • chris Whitney

    chris Whitney

    A perfect example of when to place the subject Dead Center! The luminosity from the boat is exquisite.

  • Mary Ann Reilly replied

    Thanks Chris. It did seem to work:)

  • Richard Stanley

    Richard Stanley

    Wow – what a delightful image!

  • Mary Ann Reilly replied

    thanks. The Hudson is spectacular

  • joak

    joak

    stunning shot with a wonderful bit o writting

  • Mary Ann Reilly replied

    Yeats, I think, is good for the soul.

  • elfie

    elfie

    Congratulations Mary Ann..probably one of my truly favorite of yours,,,it has such a calming effect,,a place where I like to be…..

  • Mary Ann Reilly replied

    Thanks Elfie so much. Appreciate knowing that:)

  • John Linton

    John Linton

    Enchanting. It reminds me of the time our son, Todd, came home from school complaining that he didn’t see why his English teacher wanted his class to read “The Old Man and the Sea,” after all, it was just a book about some old guy fishin’. Todd became a math teacher.

  • Mary Ann Reilly replied

    Ah, but he still read Old Man… Perhaps the elegance of proofs won’t be lost on him now…

  • Rachel Counts

    Rachel Counts

    Awesome photograph!

  • Mary Ann Reilly replied

    thanks Rachel.

  • Imber

    Imber

    Beautiful photo!

  • Mary Ann Reilly replied

    thanks so much:)

  • imagic

    imagic

    Wow and another wow, great shot, beautiful image.
    My biggest compliments.
    Jens.

  • Mary Ann Reilly replied

    thanks so much. Appreciate it.

  • Paul Lavallee

    Paul Lavallee

    perfect exposure, what a wonderful image. fitting poem too!

  • Mary Ann Reilly replied

    Thanks Paul.

  • Roddy Atkinson

    Roddy Atkinson

    Nice feel to this shot, calming colours!

  • Mary Ann Reilly replied

    yes, water will do that. Thanks:)

  • Linda Bennett

    Linda Bennett

    Just beautiful!!

  • Mary Ann Reilly replied

    Thanks Linda:)

  • Sam Fletcher

    Sam Fletcher

    Wowowowow! This is just stunning Mary Ann! Congrats!

  • Mary Ann Reilly replied

    thanks:)

  • Mary Campbell

    Mary Campbell

    I can’t resist a sailboat, this is a wonderful capture instant fav.

  • Mary Ann Reilly replied

    Thanks Mary for commenting. Appreciate it.

  • DonDavisUK

    DonDavisUK

    An awesome capture, with a lovely gentle feeling about it. Marvellous.

  • Mary Ann Reilly replied

    Thanks Don.

  • RebeccaWeston

    RebeccaWeston

    Wonderful, its just so beautiful and tranquil XX
    Becca

  • Mary Ann Reilly replied

    thanks so much:)

  • Monica Scanlan

    Monica Scanlan

    Stunning shot!!! Love this!

  • Mary Ann Reilly replied

    Thanks Monica:)

  • DonDavisUK

    DonDavisUK

    Hey there Mary Ann, as Guest Host of Art By Bubble Hosts, I thought your wonderful work was so Fantastic that it deserved to be featured. God bless and have a great Sunday. Congratulations and Best Regards, Don.

  • Mary Ann Reilly replied

    Thanks Don. Honored to have work included and featured. I’m headed to England in a week. What’s the weather like there?

  • SandraRos

    SandraRos

    The guest host that featured your work this week was DonDavisUK
    LINK

  • Mary Ann Reilly replied

    Thanks so much. Am very honored.

  • RebeccaWeston

    RebeccaWeston

    Congratulations you have been featured in Inspired by Poetry
    Becca

  • Mary Ann Reilly replied

    Thanks Rebecca. Honored to know this:)

  • Marie Sharp

    Marie Sharp

  • Mary Ann Reilly replied

    Thanks Marie. Happy to hear this:)

  • Isa Rodriguez

    Isa Rodriguez

    stunning!!!!!. and for it to be the Hudson…. what an awesome place and time captured.. i love the hudson river.. born and raised by its side.

  • xohxdeahx

    xohxdeahx 11 days ago

    wowzers

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