“Joy and woe are woven fine,
A clothing for the soul divine.
Under every grief and pine
Runs a joy with silken twine.
It is right it should be so;
Man was made for joy and woe;
And when this we rightly know,
Safely through the world we go.”
–William Blake, “Auguries of Innocence” (1863)
Source — Memphis Muse on Facebook
Photo: Rudolf Koppitz, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
“The Owl.” Oil on canvas.
“The Complaints of an Icarus”
The lovers of prostitutes
Are happy, healthy, and sated;
As for me, my arms are weary
Because I have embraced the clouds.
It is thanks to the peerless stars
That flame in the depth of the sky
That my burned out eyes see
Only the memories of suns.
I tried in vain to find
The middle and the end of space;
I know not under what fiery eye
I feel my pinions breaking;
Burned by love of the beautiful
I shan’t have the sublime honor
Of giving my name to the abyss
That will serve me as a tomb.
— Charles Baudelaire
Portrait of Charles Baudelaire by Étienne Carjat, circa 1863
I am unaware of the cover artist, the year, or even the publisher for this edition. Hale’s novel was originally published in 1863.
Eric Robert Nolan, Author 