The innocent and the beautiful have no enemy but time

The innocent and the beautiful have no enemy but time

William Butler Yeats, one of the most celebrated poets of the 20th century, often explored themes of beauty, innocence, and the passage of time in his works. In his poem "Among School Children," Yeats famously wrote, "O body swayed to music, O brightening glance, How can we know the dancer from the dance?" This line encapsulates the idea that beauty and innocence are fleeting, and that time is the ultimate enemy of these qualities.

In the context of Yeats' poetry, the phrase "The innocent and the beautiful have no enemy but time" takes on a poignant and melancholic tone. Yeats was deeply interested in the concept of time and its effects on human experience. He believed that beauty and innocence were fragile qualities that could easily be tarnished or lost as time passed.