A Prayer for My Daughter

Poetry | William Butler Yeats
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What Are The Prayers of the Poet for His Infant Daughter?

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What are the prayers of the poet for his infant daughter?  [2017] 

W.B. Yeats (1865-1939) wrote “A Prayer for My Daughter” (1921) just after his daughter Anne’s birth. A wild storm was blowing outside, while the poet walked and prayed. He was worried about her future in a troubled world. So, he prayed for her beauty, virtue, peace, and happiness.

Wish for Moderate Beauty: Yeats prays that his daughter may be beautiful, but not too beautiful. He fears extreme beauty brings pride and sorrow. He says, 

“May she be granted beauty and yet not 

Beauty to make a stranger’s eye distraught.” 

The poet recalls Helen of Troy, whose beauty caused ruin. He wants his daughter to have kind beauty that helps her make true friends and live a calm life, free from vanity and pride.

Wish for Innocence and Kindness: Yeats wishes his daughter to have a pure heart and gentle manners. He believes that re

al love and respect come from kindness, not from physical appearance. He says,

“Hearts are not had as a gift but hearts are earned

By those that are not entirely beautiful;”

He wants her to grow like a “flourishing hidden tree.” The poet hopes she will avoid hate and jealousy and live a simple.

Wish for a Peaceful Married Life: Finally, the poet prays that she may marry a man from a good family. It is in the poet’s voice:

“And may her bridegroom bring her to a house

Where all’s accustomed, ceremonious;”

He wants her to live among order, tradition, and harmony, where love and respect rule, not arrogance or hatred.

In conclusion, Yeats’s prayers show a loving father’s heart. He wishes his daughter beauty without pride, innocence without hate, and a peaceful home filled with love.

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William Butler Yeats
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from A Prayer for My Daughter