I admit the briar
Entangled in my hair
Did not injure me;
My blenching and trembling,
Nothing but dissembling,
Nothing but coquetry.
I long for truth, and yet
I cannot stay from that
My better self disowns,
For a man's attention
Brings such satisfaction
To the craving in my bones.
Brightness that I pull back
From the Zodiac,
Why those questioning eyes
That are fixed upon me?
What can they do but shun me
If empty night replies?
Back to William Butler Yeats
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Comments1This poem seems to be exploring internal conflicts and trying to reconcile the external and internal self. Is the speaker struggling to be honest with themselves, drawn to what they know isn't good for them? As a student, can anyone point out some ways to read between the lines here? I'm trying to grasp the deeper meaning.