30 Poems: Number 2

[winterbadger]

For today, I just chose something that came to me when I thought "poem"? It's by William Butler Yeats

When You are Old

When you are old and gray and full of sleep
And nodding by the fire, take down this book,
And slowly read, and dream of the soft look
Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep;

How many loved your moments of glad grace,
And loved your beauty with love false or true;
But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you,
And loved the sorrows of your changing face.

And bending down beside the glowing bars,
Murmur, a little sadly, how love fled
And paced upon the mountains overhead,
And hid his face amid a crowd of stars.

I love Yeats' imagery (I can think of another poem of his I will have to use soon too). I'm not quite sure what to make of the reference to love having fled, though. Did the "one man" leave "you"--was love not strong enough? Or did he leave her by dying (hence the hiding among a crown of stars)? I like to think the latter--it's the romantic in me (as Captain Renault would say. :-)

Either way, as a romantic, I appreciate the idea of someone being loved by many for her beauty and grace, but being loved most and specially by the person who saw past what other people did.

Comments

[la-renardine.livejournal.com]

Of love and life.

I appreciate the idea of someone being loved by many for her beauty and grace, but being loved most and specially by the person who saw past what other people did.

Indeed, my favorite part!