Living
The Cloak, the Boat, and the Shoes
From Crossways (1889)
Living
"What do you make so fair and bright?"
"I make the cloak of Sorrow:
"O, lovely to see in all men's sight
"Shall be the cloak of Sorrow,
"In all men's sight."
"What do you build with sails for flight?"
"I build a boat for Sorrow,
"O, swift on the seas all day and night
"Saileth the rover Sorrow,
"All day and night."
"What do you weave with wool so white?
"I weave the shoes of Sorrow,
"Soundless shall be the footfall light
"In all men's ears of Sorrow,
"Sudden and light."
Cite this poem
MLA
Yeats, W. B. “The Cloak, the Boat, and the Shoes.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/yeats/137/.
Chicago
Yeats, W. B. “The Cloak, the Boat, and the Shoes.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/yeats/137/.
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