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Think about how the language the poet uses helps convey his ideas. Below are some points to consider.

Resignation

The opening lines of the poem suggest a tone of resignation on the part of the airman who knows "I shall meet my fate / Somewhere among the clouds above".

He accepts that he may die.

Apathy

The language in the opening lines is very direct and negative - "Those that I fight I do not hate, / those that I guard I do not love".

It conveys a sense of apathy towards the war. He seems very sure of his thoughts and expresses his indifference towards those nations that are fighting. His tone is detached.

Identity

In the line "My country is Kiltartan Cross, / My countrymen Kiltartan’s poor" the airman establishes his own identity, which is neither British nor indeed Irish.

He asserts that "No likely end could bring them loss / Or leave them happier than before." Here he conveys the sense that ‘his’ people will be largely unaffected by the outcome of the war he is taking part in.

This seems to reflect the question of national identity that Yeats was interested in. Young Irishmen fought for Britain in World War One, ironically the very nation they wanted to be independent from.

These lines have a wider significance as the question of why soldiers risk their lives in warfare is a common theme in poetry - not only in World War One, but in other conflicts.

Self determination

In the air he is free to determine his own fate. He is above the "public men" and "cheering crowds". These phrases refer to those who start wars and call upon citizens to fight and defend their countries.

Lonely

The speaker establishes that it is not patriotic duty he follows but his own desires.

This is captured in the line "a lonely impulse of delight / Drove to this tumult in the clouds."

The word "lonely" is important. In the air there is a sense of both the airman’s resignation to whatever his fate may be, but also the pleasure in being free to consider his life and death.

The word tumult seems detached from the airman’s cool weighing up of his thoughts and emotions as he flies into battle. It contrasts with the otherwise balanced language of the poem.

Resolution

There is a sense of resolution in the final four lines when the airman asserts that he has "balanced all, brought all to mind". This sense of balance reflects the movement of flight itself as he balances the plane in the air. The lines seem to reflect the plane's movements.

Reflection

He reflects on his life and his future, "the years to come seem waste of breath, / a waste of breath the years behind".

The phrase "waste of breath" is repeated to again reflect the balance of the plane he flies in and the sense of the airman balancing his fate, "In balance with this life, this death."