When You Are Old
When you are old and gray and full of sleep
And nodding by the fire, take down this book,
And slowly read, and dream of the soft look
Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep;
How many loved your moments of glad grace,
And loved your beauty with love false or true;
But one man loved the pilgrim[1]soul in you,
And loved the sorrows of your changing face;
And bending down beside the glowing bars,
Murmur, a little sadly, how love fled
And paced[2] upon the mountains overhead,
p>
And hid his face amid a crowd of stars.
When you are old
When you are old, gray-haired and sleepy,
When taking a nap by the fire, please take down this poem,
Read it slowly, recalling the softness of your eyes in the past
Recall their past heavy shadows;
p>
How many people loved you when you were young and cheerful
Fakely or sincerely admired your beauty,
Only one loved your pilgrim soul, < /p>
Love the painful wrinkles of your aging face.
Bowing beside the red-gleaming fire,
Whispering sadly, why love fades away,
On the mountain above, it paces slowly Step by step,
Hidden his face among the stars.