"Easter 1916" by W.B. Yeats (read by Tom O'Bedlam) 

Interestingly, the date of the Easter Rising can be seen in the structure of the poem also: there are 16 lines (for 1916) in the first and third stanzas, 24 lines (for April 24, the date the Rising began) in the second and fourth stanzas, and four stanzas in total (which refers to April, the fourth month of the year). from wikipedia.

A wonderful reading of a wonderful poem, which I have loved since I first read it I was an undergrad in 1957. The web, and RU-vid in particular, lets us enjoy such things all the more. You will likely enjoy, if you have not listened to it already, the You Tube audio-clip of Dylan Thomas reading his poem to his father, Do Not Go Gentle. Thanks and best.

OH...!!...I MIGHT DIE OF HAPPINESS ..ONE OF MY FAVORITE POEMS..you captivate my mind when you sketch such lines....".A terrible beauty is born..."..

Superb reading of wonderful verse.

I could not let today pass without stopping here, Tom. Singular reading. Many thanks.

I want to cry every time it comes to "Hearts with one purpose alone..." It makes me ache.

Studying this for A level. wonderful to hear this read so well. Thank you.

Yeats is one of my favourite poets....

i managed to sneak in part of this poem into my history coursework, using it as a source :) He manages to capture the moment in history brilliantly, and, i must say,your reading is beautiful, sends chills down my spine

Powerful reading!

You done a good job, My favorite poem

beautifully done, thank you!

A great poem that captures the times. My favourite stanza is when he questions the necessity of it.

i remember reading somewhere that his mother was a Fenian and agreed with the ideals behind the rising.

Such a beutiful reading.

@Aristo94 Irish on mother's side, Yorkshire on father's side, raised in southern England.

Wonderful..

Great reading

Interesting indeed. I had never noticed that before. Thanks!

Any chance you can read, or point to a reading, of "Two Songs from a Play"?

@ beggo321 He hated MacBride because he married Muad Gonne,the love of his life. McBride also molested Gonne's 11 year old daughter and there were other allegations of domestic abuse,that was why she left him.

Bravo

This is a marvelous poem that reflects the Ireland of 1916. Initially the rebels were treated with hostility even by the citizenry of Dublin. The executions and the internment and deportation of thousands of Volunteers with out trials changed public opinion including Yeats' so that even some one like John McBride could become a hero.

Yeats was friendly with many of the 1916 leaders - Frederick Gifford, whose daughters Muriel and Grace married MacDonagh and Plunkett, was the Yeatses' family solicitor, and the families were good friends; MacDonagh wrote in a letter that Yeats was a terrible old snob, but a darling. Yet Yeats had some stupid fascistic ideas, thinking he was a nobleman and others were peasants - they lessened his talent, though his genius burned despite this nonsense.

Fantastic Poet and a great poem - just don't read to much politics into it Yeats renewed his British passport until his death and flirted with fascism between times . I wonderful poem and nicely read -thanks

Damn he really hated john mcbride. Didnt mcbride beat his wife and was prone to drunkeness