Had I the heavens’ embroidered cloths, / Enwrought with golden and silver light
-- Speaker (Lines 1-2)

Importance: It’s from these opening lines that the poem takes its title. They establish the poem’s extended metaphor or heavenly skies as a bolt of cloth. Here, the skies are “enwrought” or “embroidered” with the light of the sun, moon, and stars. This dynamic of gold and silver as an extension of the sky is present in several of Yeats’ poems, most notably “The Song of the Wandering Aengus”.

But I, being poor, have only my dreams
-- Speaker (Line 6)

Importance: This line moves the poem’s focus away from the grandiose imagery of heaven to the speaker himself. The speaker describes themselves as “poor”, bringing to mind the classic image of the poor writer or artist struggling to create in less-than-ideal circumstances. The ironic implication, however, is that dreams are greater and more valuable than commodifiable luxury.

Tread softly
-- Speaker (Line 8)

Importance: This...