If we must cheat ourselves with any dream,
Then let it be a dream of nobleness:
Since it is necessary to express
Gall from black grapes–to sew an endless seam
With a rusty needle–chase a spurious gleam
Narrowing to the nothing through the less–
Since life’s no better than a bitter guess,
And love’s a stranger–let us change the theme.
Let us at least pretend–it may be true–
That we can close our lips on poisonous
Dark wine diluted by the Stygean wave;
And let me dream sublimity in you,
And courage, liberal for the two of us:
Let us at least pretend we can be brave.
(Elinor Wylie)
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Based on Topics: Dreams Poems, Courage Poems, Liberal PoemsBased on Keywords: sublimity, nobleness, spurious, diluted