The Sword of Song

ASCENSION DAY 5 Ho ! I adopt the number. Look At the quaint wrapper of this book !* I will deserve it if I can: It is the number of a Man.33 So since in England Christ still stands With iron nails in bloody hands Not pierced, but grasping ! to hoist high Children on cross of agony, I find him real for English lives. Up with my pretty pair of fives !34 I fight no ghosts. “But why revile” (You urge me) “in that vicious style The very faith whose truths you seem (Elsewhere)35 to hold, to hymn supreme In your own soul ?” Perhaps you know How mystic doctrines melt the snow Of any faith: redeem it to A fountain of reviving dew. So I with Christ: but few receive The Qabalistic Balm,36 believe Nothing—and choose to know instead. But, to that terror vague and dread, External worship; all my life— War to the knife ! War to the knife ! No ! on the other hand the Buddha Says: “I’m surprised at you ! How could a Person accept my law and still Use hatred, the sole means of ill, In Truth’s defence ? In praise of light ?” Well ! Well ! I guess Brer Buddha’s right ! I am no brutal Cain37 to smash an Abel: I hear that blasphemy’s unfashionable: So in the quietest way we’ll chat about it; No need to show teeth, claws of cat about it! With gentle words—fiat exordium; Exeat dolor, intret gaudium ! 1 It had a design of 666 and Crowley’s name in Hebrew (which, like most names, adds up to that figure) on the reverse. 110 115 120 125 130 135 140 Necessity of poem. Mysticism v. literal interpre tation. Former excused. Buddha re- bukes poet. Detailed scheme of modified poem.