HE WISHES FOR THE CLOTHS OF HEAVEN
The poem "He wishes for the cloths of Heaven" was written by William Butler Yeats.
The poem opens with a conjecture: the poet states that, if he had the cloths of heavens, he would spread them under the feet of a particular person; but he, being poor, has only his dreams and spread them under the person's feet. Then, he concludes recommending the person to tread softly in order not to ruin his dreams.
Probably, the character indicated in the poem is a beloved person. The poet would do everything for her, even put her before the heaven. But, since he has neither the capacity nor the possibility to do this, he would renounce to his dreams, one of the most important things of his life.
The poem is organized in only one octave. The rhythm is slow and reflective. Lines are bound by rhyming couplets (following the set ABABCDCD). The importance of the heaven's cloth is increased by the enumeration and the repetition of the conjunction "and" in the third and fourth lines. Besides, the ascending climax of darkness in the third line and the alliteration of the sound -ight (night, light) in the fourth line contribute to the solemnity of the atmosphere. Finally, there is also a chiasm between line 5 and 7 (your feet - my dreams - my dreams - your feet) to underline the sense of respect but also of union between the two people.