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;
“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;
“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;
“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”;
But louder sang that ghost, “What then?”

Readings

W.B. Yeats: 'What Then?' read by Seamus Heaney
W.B. Yeats: 'What Then?' read by Sinéad Cusack
W.B. Yeats: 'What Then?' read by Lisa Dwan
W.B. Yeats: 'What Then?' read by Bob Geldof
W.B. Yeats: 'What Then?' read by Dominic West
Select reading
W.B. Yeats: 'What Then?' read by Seamus Heaney
W.B. Yeats: 'What Then?' read by Sinéad Cusack
W.B. Yeats: 'What Then?' read by Lisa Dwan
W.B. Yeats: 'What Then?' read by Bob Geldof
W.B. Yeats: 'What Then?' read by Dominic West
© Copyright 2025 The Josephine Hart Poetry Foundation. A charity registered in England and Wales number 1145062.