He Wishes For The Cloths Of Heaven

by William Butler Yeats

Okay, hate to be sentimental, but this is the very first poem that I added to American Literature. I am a big fan of the 1987 movie, 84, Charing Cross Road. 'Nuff said about that. This is a beautiful poem. Enjoy it.

An illustration for the story He Wishes For The Cloths Of Heaven by the author William Butler Yeats — Westlund 2, tapestry of young stars, constellation Carina, 2015

Had I the heavens' embroidered cloths,
Enwrought with golden and silver light,
The blue and the dim and the dark cloths
Of night and light and the half-light,
I would spread the cloths under your feet:
But I, being poor, have only my dreams;
I have spread my dreams under your feet;
Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.

This poem is featured in our selection of 100 Great Poems.

He Wishes For The Cloths Of Heaven was featured as The Short Story of the Day on Sun, Jun 13, 2021

Here is Anthony Hopkins, reading He Wishes For The Cloths of Heaven from the movie 84, Charing Cross Road.

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Return to the William Butler Yeats Home Page, or . . . Read the next poem; He Wishes His Beloved Were Dead