Symbolism in Yates' Poem

A symbol is a thing that represents or stands in for an object, function, or process. The falcon portrayed in Yates’ poem “The Second Coming” is a symbol of liberty, freedom, and victory in a dark and destructive time. However, the falcon “cannot hear the falconer,” meaning that the peace will not come in the “anarchy” and “blood-dimmed tide” that Yates describes.