While there might not be a specific historic Irish poem titled “Valentine’s Day Poem,” many Irish poets have written beautifully about love. One of Ireland’s most famous poets, W.B. Yeats, penned numerous poems on the subject. Here’s one of his most beloved poems that captures the essence of love and could beautifully serve as a Valentine’s message:
He Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven
by W.B. Yeats
Had I the heavens’ embroidered cloths,
Enwrought with golden and silver light,
The blue and the dim and the dark cloths
Of night and light and the half light,
I would spread the cloths under your feet:
But I, being poor, have only my dreams;
I have spread my dreams under your feet;
Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.
This poem, with its themes of love, sacrifice, and giving one’s all, embodies a deep and tender love that can be particularly resonant on Valentine’s Day. Yeats’s words remind us of the preciousness of offering one’s dreams and love to another, inviting a gentle and respectful reciprocation.