The only wisdom we can hope to acquire Is the wisdom of humility: humility is endless.
The dripping blood our only drink, The bloody flesh our only food: In spite of which we like to think That we are sound, substantial flesh and blood-- Again, in spite of that, we call this Friday good.
Where is the wisdom? We lost in knowledge Where is the wisdom we lost in knowledge? ?????
Someone said, 'The dead writers are remote from us because we know so much more than they did.' Precisely, and they are that which we know.
And last, the rending pain of re-enactment Of all that you have done, and been; the shame Of things ill done and done to others' harm Which once you took for exercise of virtue. Then fools' approval stings, and honour stains.
Time present and time past Are both perhaps present in time future And time future contained in time past. If all time is eternally present All time is unredeemable. What might have been is an abstraction Remaining a perpetual possibility Only in a world of speculation. What might have been and what has been Point to one end, which is always present.
