What Then?

William Butler Yeats

HIS chosen comrades thought at school
He must grow a famous man;
He thought the same and lived by rule,
All his twenties crammed with toil;
"i{What then?' sang Plato's ghost.  "What then?"}

Everything he wrote was read,
After certain years he won
Sufficient money for his need,
Friends that have been friends indeed;
"i{What then?' sang Plato's ghost.  " What then?'}

All his happier dreams came true --
A small old house, wife, daughter, son,
Grounds where plum and cabbage grew,
poets and Wits about him drew;
"i{What then.?' sang Plato's ghost.  "What then?'}

The work is done,' grown old he thought,
"According to my boyish plan;
Let the fools rage, I swerved in naught,
Something to perfection brought';
i{But louder sang that ghost, "What then?'}

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