The Wild Swans at Coole Sadness Quotes Page 2

The swans are "unwearied," and the speaker, in contrast, seems very weary—tired, worn out, kind of sad. He's also alone, while these swans go "lover by lover." More sadness for our poor speaker.

When the swans leave, the speaker will be deprived of something that "[d]elight[s]" him. Even though the speaker loves the swans, he also seems sad at the possibility that they might abandon him. In a way, even something beautiful and wonderful can cause sadness by its absence.