On Pilgrim Souls

When You Are Old - William Butler Yeats

When you are old 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 you with a love, false or true

But one many 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 above the mountains overhead

And hid his face among a crowd of stars.

_____________________________

A first blog tribute to my patron poet.