W. B. Yeats (1865-1939) - The Four Ages of Man

Com o seu próprio corpo travou uma luta

Mas o corpo venceu; passou-lhe adiante.

Lutou depois contra o seu próprio coração;

A inocência partiu e com ela a paz.

Seguiu-se-lhe a luta com o espírito;

Deixando para trás o seu orgulhoso coração.

E agora começaram as guerras com Deus;

Ao bater da meia-noite, Deus vencerá.

  Original:

He with body waged a fight,

But body won; it walks upright.

Then he struggled with the heart;

Innocence and peace depart.

Then he struggled with the mind;

His proud heart he left behind.

Now his wars on God begin;

At stroke of midnight God shall win.

      The poem reflects on the successive stages of human existence, portraying life as a journey shaped by physical strength, intellectual development, spiritual aspiration and eventual decline. The poem explores the contrast between youthful vitality and the limitations imposed by ageing. Through its philosophical perspective, Yeats suggests that human identity evolves as the body weakens and wisdom deepens. The work conveys the inevitability of change, inviting readers to contemplate mortality, experience and the enduring search for meaning. The painting by Ditlev Blunck (just childhood).