An Irish Airman Foresees His Death - Yeats

(Brilliant! Just too effing awesome!)

I know that I shall meet my fate
Somewhere among the clouds above;
Those that I fight I do not hate,
Those that I guard I do not love;
My country is Kiltartan Cross,
My countrymen Kiltartan's poor,
No likely end could bring them loss
Or leave them happier than before.
Nor law, nor duty bade me fight,
Nor public men, nor cheering crowds,
A lonely impulse of delight
Drove to this tumult in the clouds;
I balanced all, brought all to mind,
The years to come seemed waste of breath,
A waste of breath the years behind
In balance with this life, this death.
--

It is about one US pilot who is a part of the World War I and is about to die because his aircraft is hit. He isn't in the war because he is a patriot or he hates some race, but he is in because he loves to fly.
"A lonely impulse of delight" - what a phrase! and ofcourse, the last 3 lines!! (Paraphrase: The past and the future are just a waste in front of this life and (more importantly) this death!). Darjaa!