“A Prayer for My Son” by W. B. Yeats: A Critical Analysis

Introduction: “A Prayer for My Son” by W. B. Yeats

“A Prayer for My Son” by W. B. Yeats first appeared in The Tower (1928), a collection that reflects Yeats’s mature poetic vision blending mysticism, political anxiety, and personal emotion. Written after the birth of his son Michael in 1921, the poem reveals Yeats’s fears for his child’s safety in a world overshadowed by violence and moral decay. The poem’s opening plea—“Bid a strong ghost stand at the head / That my Michael may sleep sound”—expresses a father’s desire for divine protection against evil forces that “have planned his murder” out of “hatred of the bays,” a reference to the laurels of poetic or heroic distinction. Yeats’s prayer moves from earthly fear to spiritual contemplation, invoking divine empathy through the memory of Christ’s human suffering: “You have lacked articulate speech / To tell Your simplest want, and known… / All of that worst ignominy / Of flesh and bone.” The poem’s enduring popularity lies in its fusion of private concern with universal themes of innocence, evil, and divine guardianship, making it a powerful expression of Yeats’s late spiritual and paternal vision.

Text: “A Prayer for My Son” by W. B. Yeats

BID a strong ghost stand at the head
That my Michael may sleep sound,
Nor cry, nor turn in the bed
Till his morning meal come round;
And may departing twilight keep
All dread afar till morning’s back.
That his mother may not lack
Her fill of sleep.
Bid the ghost have sword in fist:
Some there are, for I avow
Such devilish things exist,
Who have planned his murder, for they know
Of some most haughty deed or thought
That waits upon his future days,
And would through hatred of the bays
Bring that to nought.
Though You can fashion everything
From nothing every day, and teach
The morning stats to sing,
You have lacked articulate speech
To tell Your simplest want, and known,
Wailing upon a woman’s knee,
All of that worst ignominy
Of flesh and bone;
And when through all the town there ran
The servants of Your enemy,
A woman and a man,
Unless the Holy Writings lie,
Hurried through the smooth and rough
And through the fertile and waste,
protecting, till the danger past,
With human love.

Annotations: “A Prayer for My Son” by W. B. Yeats

Line(s)	Simple Explanation / Annotation	Literary Devices
“Bid a strong ghost stand at the head / That my Michael may sleep sound,”	The poet asks for a protective spirit or guardian angel to stand by his son Michael’s bedside so he can sleep peacefully.	Imagery, Symbolism (ghost = guardian spirit), Prayer motif, Alliteration (“stand…sound”)
“Nor cry, nor turn in the bed / Till his morning meal come round;”	He wishes that Michael does not cry or toss during the night until morning arrives safely.	Repetition (“nor”), Soothing rhythm, Imagery (of peaceful sleep)
“And may departing twilight keep / All dread afar till morning’s back.”	The poet prays that as night falls, all fear and evil should stay far away until morning returns.	Personification (twilight “keep” dread away), Symbolism (light = safety, dark = danger), Contrast
“That his mother may not lack / Her fill of sleep.”	He also prays that his wife can rest peacefully without being disturbed by their child’s crying or danger.	Tender tone, Domestic imagery, Assonance (“lack…sleep”)
“Bid the ghost have sword in fist:”	He imagines the guardian spirit armed with a sword to defend his child from harm.	Symbolism (sword = protection, divine power), Imagery, Imperative tone (“Bid”)
“Some there are, for I avow / Such devilish things exist,”	Yeats admits that evil people and forces exist in the world.	Diction (“devilish”), Religious imagery (evil vs. divine), Tone of fear and realism
“Who have planned his murder, for they know / Of some most haughty deed or thought”	He fears that envious or hateful people might wish to harm his son because they foresee greatness in his future.	Foreshadowing, Irony, Symbolism (haughty deed = greatness or noble destiny)
“That waits upon his future days, / And would through hatred of the bays / Bring that to nought.”	These enemies wish to destroy his son’s future achievements (“bays” = laurel wreaths of victory or fame).	Symbolism (“bays” = success/glory), Alliteration (“bring…bays”), Imagery of honor
“Though You can fashion everything / From nothing every day, and teach / The morning stars to sing,”	The poet turns to God, acknowledging His power to create the world and command even the stars.	Biblical allusion (Creation), Hyperbole (“teach the morning stars to sing”), Reverence
“You have lacked articulate speech / To tell Your simplest want, and known,”	Yeats reflects on Christ’s human incarnation — though divine, He experienced human limitations and could not express divine thoughts fully.	Paradox, Religious imagery, Tone of humility
“Wailing upon a woman’s knee, / All of that worst ignominy / Of flesh and bone;”	Christ, as a child, cried in His mother’s arms and suffered the shame (“ignominy”) of being human.	Religious imagery (Christ’s infancy), Alliteration (“worst…ignominy”), Pathos
“And when through all the town there ran / The servants of Your enemy,”	Refers to the biblical episode when King Herod’s soldiers sought to kill infant Jesus.	Allusion (Massacre of the Innocents), Symbolism (enemy = evil), Narrative tone
“A woman and a man, / Unless the Holy Writings lie,”	Mary and Joseph fled with baby Jesus to protect Him — a biblical reference to the flight into Egypt.	Biblical allusion, Irony (“unless…lie”), Religious imagery
“Hurried through the smooth and rough / And through the fertile and waste,”	The couple traveled through all kinds of terrain — easy and hard, fertile and barren — to escape danger.	Juxtaposition, Imagery (contrast of landscapes), Parallelism
“Protecting, till the danger past, / With human love.”	Yeats concludes that divine protection often acts through human love and care — as Mary and Joseph protected Jesus.	Theme (divine love through humanity), Symbolism, Resolution, Moral tone

Literary And Poetic Devices: “A Prayer for My Son” by W. B. Yeats

Device	Definition and Explanation (with Example)
Allusion	A reference to another text or event, as in “Unless the Holy Writings lie,” which alludes to the Bible, invoking divine authority and faith.
Apostrophe	Directly addressing an absent or supernatural being (“Bid a strong ghost stand at the head”), expressing a plea for divine intervention.
Assonance	Repetition of vowel sounds within nearby words (“Th a t m y Mich a el m ay sleep sound”), creating a soft, soothing rhythm suitable for a lullaby.
Caesura	A deliberate pause within a line (“That his mother may not lack // Her fill of sleep”), reflecting contemplation and emotional weight.
Consonance	Repetition of consonant sounds at the end or middle of words (“sword in fist / such devilish things exist”), reinforcing tension and emphasis.
Enjambment	The continuation of a sentence beyond the end of a line (“And may departing twilight keep / All dread afar till morning’s back”), maintaining fluidity and the sense of an unbroken prayer.
Hyperbole	Exaggeration for emotional effect (“Such devilish things exist”) conveys the father’s fear of unseen evil forces.
Imagery	Descriptive language appealing to the senses (“Departing twilight keep / All dread afar till morning’s back”), evoking light, darkness, and safety.
Irony	Contrast between expectation and reality (“You have lacked articulate speech / To tell Your simplest want”), portraying divine humility through human limitation.
Metaphor	Implied comparison between unlike things (“Bid a strong ghost stand at the head”), where the “ghost” represents spiritual protection.
Personification	Attributing human qualities to non-human entities (“Departing twilight keep / All dread afar”), making nature appear as a caring guardian.
Repetition	Recurrence of words or phrases (“That my Michael may sleep sound… / That his mother may not lack”) to stress emotional intensity and rhythm.
Rhyme Scheme	The regular pattern of rhyming words (“sound/round, lack/back, fist/exist”) provides musical balance and unity across stanzas.
Symbolism	Using symbols to represent abstract ideas (“Sword in fist” symbolizes divine strength and vigilant protection).
Synecdoche	A figure of speech in which a part represents the whole (“Sword in fist,” where “fist” stands for the guardian himself), emphasizing human agency in divine action.
Tone	The poet’s emotional attitude—moving from anxiety to faith—as Yeats prays for his son’s safety and innocence.
Visual Imagery	Use of vivid description (“Hurried through the smooth and rough / And through the fertile and waste”) to appeal to sight and depict struggle.
Voice (Poetic Persona)	The father’s personal, prayerful voice addressing divine forces, revealing Yeats’s blend of parental love and spiritual faith.

Themes: “A Prayer for My Son” by W. B. Yeats

• Theme 1: Parental Love and Protection
  In “A Prayer for My Son” by W. B. Yeats, the central theme revolves around a father’s deep affection and protective instinct toward his child, Michael. The poem opens with a heartfelt plea — “Bid a strong ghost stand at the head / That my Michael may sleep sound” — which reflects Yeats’s tender concern for his son’s safety during the night. The poet’s request for a guardian spirit shows his awareness of the world’s dangers and his desire to shield his child from them. Even the mother’s rest is included in this sphere of care, as he prays, “That his mother may not lack / Her fill of sleep,” revealing the encompassing nature of his love. This theme of parental protection, grounded in both spiritual and emotional depth, underscores the poem’s essence — that a father’s prayer is both an act of love and a form of defense against unseen evil.
• Theme 2: The Presence of Evil and Human Vulnerability
  In “A Prayer for My Son” by W. B. Yeats, the poet confronts the existence of malevolent forces that threaten innocence and purity. The lines “Some there are, for I avow / Such devilish things exist, / Who have planned his murder” introduce a world filled with hostility and envy, where even a child is not free from danger. Yeats’s tone shifts from gentle prayer to grim awareness, illustrating the pervasive nature of evil in human life. The reference to those who “would through hatred of the bays / Bring that to nought” suggests the destructive jealousy that accompanies greatness or divine favor. Through this, Yeats not only portrays his fear for his son but also reflects on the fragility of goodness in a corrupted world — a recurring theme in his later poetry.
• Theme 3: Divine Power and Human Limitation
  In W. B. Yeats’s “A Prayer for My Son”, another profound theme is the contrast between divine omnipotence and human frailty. Yeats acknowledges God’s creative power in the line, “Though You can fashion everything / From nothing every day, and teach / The morning stars to sing,” recognizing the divine as the ultimate creator. Yet, he points out the paradox of the Incarnation — that even God, in human form, experienced limitation: “You have lacked articulate speech / To tell Your simplest want, and known… / All of that worst ignominy / Of flesh and bone.” Here, Yeats reflects on the divine empathy for human suffering. By linking the spiritual with the mortal, the poem presents a theological meditation: even divinity, when embodied, must endure vulnerability — a comforting parallel to the poet’s own parental fears.
• Theme 4: Faith, Love, and Redemption through Humanity
  In “A Prayer for My Son” by W. B. Yeats, the poet concludes with a hopeful vision that divine grace operates through human love. The final stanza, recalling the biblical “Flight into Egypt,” portrays Mary and Joseph as protectors of the infant Jesus: “A woman and a man… hurried through the smooth and rough / And through the fertile and waste, / Protecting, till the danger past, / With human love.” These lines affirm that redemption and divine protection are not abstract but are realized through human compassion and courage. Yeats suggests that love itself becomes a sacred force against evil. Thus, the poem closes with spiritual optimism — that despite the world’s threats, faith and love can safeguard innocence and ensure divine protection through human action.

Literary Theories and “A Prayer for My Son” by W. B. Yeats

Literary Theory	Application and References from the Poem
1. Psychoanalytic Theory	Yeats’s poem reflects deep parental anxiety and subconscious fear for his child’s safety—rooted in Freudian notions of repression and protective instinct. The father’s plea—“Bid a strong ghost stand at the head / That my Michael may sleep sound”—reveals an unconscious projection of fear onto supernatural protection. The “ghost” may symbolize Yeats’s own psyche, struggling between fear (id) and faith (ego). His invocation of divine guardianship expresses both helplessness and an inner need to control external threats through prayer.
2. Religious / Theological Criticism	The poem is a spiritual supplication that draws on Christian imagery and biblical allusions. Yeats references the Holy Family’s flight from danger, as in “A woman and a man, / Unless the Holy Writings lie, / Hurried through the smooth and rough.” The poem thus becomes a meditation on divine protection and incarnation—God “lacked articulate speech / To tell Your simplest want,” emphasizing Christ’s human vulnerability. Through this theological lens, Yeats merges parental love with divine compassion.
3. Biographical / Historical Approach	Written in 1919 after the birth of Yeats’s son Michael, amid post–World War I chaos and the Irish Civil unrest, the poem mirrors Yeats’s historical context and personal fears. The line “Such devilish things exist / Who have planned his murder” reflects not only the poet’s private anxiety but also the broader violence and instability of modern Ireland. The poem thus situates personal love within a historical moment of collective insecurity.
4. Symbolist / Modernist Theory	From a Symbolist perspective, Yeats fuses dream, prayer, and myth to express universal meaning through symbols. The “strong ghost” symbolizes spiritual guardianship; “departing twilight” embodies the liminal space between danger and safety; “sword in fist” signifies protective divine power. The Modernist tone emerges through Yeats’s tension between faith and doubt, human fragility and divine transcendence, making the poem a meditation on existence itself.

Critical Questions about “A Prayer for My Son” by W. B. Yeats

Literary Works Similar to “A Prayer for My Son” by W. B. Yeats

• “A Cradle Song” by William Blake – Similar to “A Prayer for My Son” by W. B. Yeats, Blake’s poem expresses a parent’s tender love and concern for a sleeping child, blending innocence with divine protection.
• “The Lamb” by William Blake – Like Yeats’s poem, it explores purity and divine creation, portraying the child as a symbol of innocence under God’s care.
• “On My First Son” by Ben Jonson – This elegiac poem shares Yeats’s theme of paternal love and fear of loss, reflecting on the fragility of life and a father’s emotional vulnerability.
• “Prayer Before Birth” by Louis MacNeice – Both poems are prayers for protection against the corruption and evil of the world, voicing anxiety over innocence facing moral decay.

Representative Quotations of “A Prayer for My Son” by W. B. Yeats

Quotation	Reference to Context and Theoretical Perspective
1. “Bid a strong ghost stand at the head / That my Michael may sleep sound.”	The father invokes a spiritual guardian to protect his sleeping child. This reflects Psychoanalytic Theory, as Yeats externalizes his unconscious fears into the figure of a “ghost,” symbolizing the father’s own protective instincts and suppressed anxiety.
2. “Nor cry, nor turn in the bed / Till his morning meal come round.”	The imagery of peaceful sleep represents the father’s yearning for security and innocence amid worldly chaos. Through a Psychoanalytic lens, this line expresses the desire to preserve the purity of the unconscious (childhood) from the corruption of external danger.
3. “Bid the ghost have sword in fist: / Some there are, for I avow / Such devilish things exist.”	The poet’s fear of unseen evil reflects the violence and unrest in post-war Europe and Ireland. From a Biographical/Historical perspective, this mirrors Yeats’s anxiety about political instability threatening future generations.
4. “Who have planned his murder, for they know / Of some most haughty deed or thought / That waits upon his future days.”	Yeats suggests that innocence and greatness often attract malice. Under a Modernist interpretation, this represents the alienation of the gifted individual in a hostile world, resonating with Yeats’s broader philosophy of cyclical history and heroism.
5. “Though You can fashion everything / From nothing every day, and teach / The morning stars to sing.”	This line invokes divine omnipotence and creative order. Viewed through Religious/Theological Criticism, it celebrates God’s power but contrasts it with human vulnerability, reinforcing the poem’s spiritual humility.
6. “You have lacked articulate speech / To tell Your simplest want.”	A profound paradox where divine omniscience meets human limitation—referring to the infant Christ’s muteness. From a Theological perspective, this embodies the Incarnation: God becoming human and thus experiencing weakness.
7. “And known, / Wailing upon a woman’s knee, / All of that worst ignominy / Of flesh and bone.”	Yeats humanizes divinity, presenting God as sharing human suffering. Through Religious and Symbolist perspectives, this symbolizes empathy, connecting divine experience with human pain and parental love.
8. “And when through all the town there ran / The servants of Your enemy.”	Alluding to King Herod’s soldiers in the biblical massacre of innocents, this represents fear of persecution. From a Historical and Religious perspective, Yeats parallels this with the moral collapse of his own age.
9. “A woman and a man, / Unless the Holy Writings lie, / Hurried through the smooth and rough.”	A direct allusion to Mary and Joseph’s flight into Egypt. Through Theological and Symbolist readings, this reinforces the motif of divine protection, parental love, and the struggle against evil in the human world.
10. “Protecting, till the danger past, / With human love.”	The poem ends with the ultimate faith in love’s power over danger. From a Humanist/Modernist perspective, Yeats transcends dogma by asserting that human affection—rather than divine intervention—offers the truest protection in a chaotic world.

Suggested Readings: “A Prayer for My Son” by W. B. Yeats

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