If we must cheat ourselves with any dream, <br />Then let it be a dream of nobleness: <br />Since it is necessary to express <br />Gall from black grapes--to sew an endless seam <br />With a rusty needle--chase a spurious gleam <br />Narrowing to the nothing through the less-- <br />Since life's no better than a bitter guess, <br />And love's a stranger--let us change the theme. <br /> <br />Let us at least pretend--it may be true-- <br />That we can close our lips on poisonous <br />Dark wine diluted by the Stygean wave; <br />And let me dream sublimity in you, <br />And courage, liberal for the two of us: <br />Let us at least pretend we can be brave.<br /><br />Elinor Morton Wylie<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/nadir/
