William Butler Yeats1865–1939

William Butler Yeats (1865-1939) was born of a Protestant family in Dublin on June 13, 1865. His father studied for the bar, practiced law briefly, and turned to art as his life-long profession. He took up residence in London as a painter, but never succeeded in making enough money to fully support his family. William's mother came from a well-to-do family in Sligo. William spent many childhood days at Sligo and loved the natural countryside beauty. William was undoubtedly influenched by his father to pursue his artistic talents above all else, even family and economic concerns. William was a writer of verse since his teenage years. He lived, thought, and worked as a poet all his life. Unlike his father who struggled to establish himself as a professional painter, William succeeded in fame and fortune as a poet. William Butler Yeats died on January 28. 1939.

HAD I the heavens' embroidered cloths,Enwrought with golden and silver light,

The blue and the dim and the dark clothsOf 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.

In lines 1-5 the speaker is saying, “If I had the clouds in the sky, the colors of the sun, moon, and stars, and all behind and in front of them, I’d put them under you, because you mean more to me they would.”Or, he may mean (metaphorically) that if he had worldly wealth, he would support the one he loves with the best he has — or, that if he had the power as a poet to capture the glories of the world in the “dreams” he spins, he would dedicate his achievement to the beloved.

“Enwrought with golden and silver light, ”The blue and the dim and the dark cloths

Here the speaker is describing wealth of which he does not have. “En wrought with golden and silver light” symbolizes wealth. He uses blue which symbolizes royalty.Although Yeats could be referencing England’s imperial rule of Ireland. The gold, silver and blue could be a juxtaposition of Ireland and England. Ireland being known for it rough history, harsh landscape, and hearty people. Oppose to England, whom is famous for it’s indolent royalty, prestige , and power.

But I, being poor, have only my dreams; I have spread my dreams under your feet;

Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.

He is poor, so all he has to his name are his dreams. He will still give his effort to support his loved one by sharing his delicate dreams with them.The speaker is hinting at the very real possibility that he’ll be hurt by the person he loves, but making himself vulnerable to them nonetheless.The “you” here may well be Maud Gonne, Yeats' onetime lover and subject of many of his poems. Gonne turned down numerous marriage proposals from Yeats, and the two maintained a tense friendship for decades

the poet had the beautifully decorated cloths of heaven made with golden, silver and dark light he would spread them under his beloved’s path. But he is poor and can’t give her beautiful cloths. He can give her only his dreams. Therefore he has spread his dreams on her way. And he requests her to walk softly because his dreams may be broken easily. The poet wishes he had the cloths of heaven.

William Butler Yeats He would decorate them with golden and silver light. He would change night and the light and the half-light into blue, din, and dark color for her cloths. And he would spread the cloths on her way. But he has only his dreams, so he requests her to tread softly on his fragile dreams. This poem can be divided into three parts: the wish, the offer and the request

The poem can be divided into three parts: the wish, the offer, and the request if we have close observation to the poem. The first five lines of the poem “Had I…..your feet; can be counted as the wish of the poet. Here the poet wishes he had the cloths of heaven. He would decorate them with golden and silver light. He would change night and the light and the half-light in blue, dim and dark colors for her clothes. And he would spread the cloths on her way. Sixth and seventh line of the poem; But I…. Your feet; can be taken as an offer made by the poet to his beloved. He offers his sweet and tender dreams under her feet, since he is a poor man. The final line of the poem; Tread…. dreams; can be taken as a humble request to put her feet on his dreams as they are equally good as heavens’ embellished cloths. He warns her to be careful while walking because his dreams are more fragile than heavenly cloths