His Dream
I Swayed upon the gaudy stern The butt end of a steering oar, And everywhere that I could turn Men ran upon the shore. And though I would have hushed the crowd, There was no mothers son but said, What is the figure in a shroud Upon a gaudy bed? And fishes bubbling to the brim Cried out upon that thing beneath, It had such dignity of limb, By the sweet name of Death. Though Id my finger on my lip, What could I but take up the song? And fish and crowd and gaudy ship Cried out the whole night long, Crying amid the glittering sea, Naming it with ecstatic breath, Because it had such dignity By the sweet name of Death.
AI analysis available. Enable JavaScript to interact.
About this line
"I Swayed upon the gaudy stern..."
"His Dream" is a quintessential example of William Butler Yeats's signature style... ### Why We Love This Line At Linespedia, we believe that poetry is the ultimate sanctuary for the soul...