ASCENSION DAY
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Ho! Iadopt the number. Look
At the quaint wrapper of this book ! *
I will deserve it ifI can:
It is the number of a Man.
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 ! #
I fight no ghosts.
“But why revile ”
(You urge me) ‘“‘in that vicious style
The very faith whose truths you seem
(Elsewhere) * 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,*® believe
Nothing—and choose to know instead.
But, to that terror vague and dread,
External worship ; all my lfe—
War to the knife! War to the knife!
No! on the other hand the Buddha
Says: “I’m surprised at you! How coulda
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 Cain * to smash an Abel ;
I hear that blasphemy’s unfashionable :
So in the quietest way well chat about it ;
No need to show teeth, claws of cat about it !
With gentle words—fiat exordium ;
Exeat dolor, intret gaudium !
* It had a design of 666 and Crowley's name in Hebrew (which, like
most names, adds up to that figure) on the reverse.
Necessity of
poem.
Mysticism wv.
literal interpre-
tation. Former
excused.
Buddha re-
bukes poet.
Detailed
scheme of
modified poem.