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1865–1939

THE SORROW OF LOVE

William Butler Yeats

THE quarrel of the sparrows in the eaves, The full round moon and the star-laden sky, And the loud song of the ever-singing leaves, Had hid away earth’ s old and weary cry.

And then you came with those red mournful lips, And with you came the whole of the world’ s tears, And all the trouble of her labouring ships, And all the trouble of her myriad years.

And now the sparrows warring in the eaves, The curd-pale moon, the white stars in the sky, And the loud chaunting of the unquiet leaves, Are shaken with earth’ s old and weary cry.

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