When You Are Old




by William Butler Yeats


When you are old and grey 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.



Filed Under: Friendship Poems By William Butler Yeats


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About Friendship Poems Online

An archive of 344 friendship poems and friendship quotes collected by syndicated columnist Barbara J. Feldman. Read her latest comments in What's New? Ms. Feldman's other sites include Free Kids Coloring, Jokes By Kids, Make Play Dough, Light a Fire Education Quotes, Learn Chess, Only Bunk Beds, Only Dog Beds, Litter Box Roundup, and Surfing the Net with Kids.