It’s said that Heaven’s Father never will
receive worship from those mercenaries
who use love’s coin to purchase other joys.
If sought not for himself, his hands will kill
the traitor gods and glamouring fairies
who allow us to be satisfied with toys.
Nor will he permit the false martyr’s tears
to bind our happiness in pity’s chains
or hold in ransom whole cities and crowns
that sorrow might smuggle the souvenirs
of hell into the land that cancels pains
and unfetters joy from all sighs and frowns.
receive worship from those mercenaries
who use love’s coin to purchase other joys.
If sought not for himself, his hands will kill
the traitor gods and glamouring fairies
who allow us to be satisfied with toys.
Nor will he permit the false martyr’s tears
to bind our happiness in pity’s chains
or hold in ransom whole cities and crowns
that sorrow might smuggle the souvenirs
of hell into the land that cancels pains
and unfetters joy from all sighs and frowns.
“If we insist on keeping Hell (or even earth) we shall not see Heaven: if we accept Heaven we shall not be able to retain even the smallest and most intimate souvenirs of Hell.”
“Either the day must come when joy prevails and all the makers of misery are no longer able to infect it, or else, for ever and ever, the makers of misery can destroy in others the happiness they reject for themselves.”
“Pity was meant to be a spur that drives joy to help misery. But it can be used the wrong way round. It can be used for a kind of blackmailing. Those who choose misery can hold joy up to ransom, by pity.”
“No soul that seriously and constantly desires joy will ever miss it. Those who seek find. To those who knock it is opened.”