"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 quote by William Butler Yeats talks to the power of dreams and the fragility of them. It is a pointer to be mindful of the dreams of others, as they are precious and easily broken. The speaker is expressing their poverty, both in regards to material wealth and in terms of their dreams. They are offering their dreams to the listener, asking them to be gentle and tread softly, as if they were stepping on something fragile. The speaker is requesting respect and understanding for their dreams, as they are all they have. This quote is a suggestion to be conscious of the dreams of others, to be mild and understanding, and to not take them for approved. It is a suggestion that dreams are powerful and should be treated with care.