104 
Ecstasy stronger than Death. 
The ‘ Maybe ’ and the ‘ Letushope ’, the ‘ Allahknows ’ 
and ‘ Ibelieve ’ ; 
The ‘ Sweetitwas ’ and ‘ Werecall ’, the ‘ Pitytis ’ and 
‘ Mighthavebeen ’4 
 
These founder in the rushing tide, these bear a 
cargo black with fear, 
Heavy with hate and dull with woe, a miserable 
load of teen : 
 
While we the ‘ Jolly Roger ’5 sail whose freight is 
fairy6 pearls of dew ; 
The podex and the member locked, without a bar, 
without a screen. 
 
Remembrance and regret we quash ;  we banish 
traitor hope and fear ; 
The present ecstasy is all, the Middle Path, the 
Golden Mean. 
 
An He endure, then love endures : — so El Qahar 
will ever sing, 
Till he the world from milk of prayer to wine of me-
ditation wean.7 
 
Like peacocks in a garden spread our thousand 
eyes of jewel-sheen ; 
Though squawking with an eunuch’s voice, our 
paederastic plumes we preen.8 
 
For voice is sound, and dies with air ;  light is co-
excellent with God9 ; 
As Hate’s a poison for delight, so love’s a physic for 
the spleen. 
 
And El Qahar is Truth, and nought but Allah stuffs 
his gaberdine,10 
And 
Allah 
windeth 
he 
about 
with 
tarband 
gemmed11 of gold and green.12