Share on ... Google+ Twitter Facebook Pinterest Hermetic.com » Aleister Crowley » White Stains //search////add////forum////info// Bookmark this page on these social networks The javascript bookmark tool appears to not be working or you have javascript disabled Like this page on Facebook Like THL on Facebook +1 this page on Google +1 THL on Google The javascript metadata tool appears to not be working or you have javascript disabled Join the Hermetic Library discussions at the Hrmtc Underground BBS nojs.php Ads by Project Wonderful! Your ad could be here, right now. A BALLAD OF CHOOSING Love brought a garland to my feet to-day Offering to crown my head withal, and said: ‘The year is young, it is the time of May, Autumn is distant, and the winter, dead’ And would therewith my brows have garlanded But that I asked him ‘Is not this a fire To burn the scorched brain through my maddened head? Thou has a guerdon, is it not for hire?’ Fame brought a golden crown, bejeweled o’er With precious rubies beyond price, and cried ‘The world is young, thy name shall evermore Ring in men’s ears, stately and glorified’ But I, with shuddering lips, to him replied ‘Fame is the amaranth that fools desire My soul’s price is beyond thy jewel’s pride Thou has a guerdon, is it not for hire?’ Wealth brought to me a purse, whose glancing gold Mocked the sun’s rays, grown dull as iron rust, And pressed it in my hand, saying ‘Behold The corner-stone of fame, the means of lust’ And I ‘In thee I put but little trust [33] Shameful, most vile, accursed of God’s ire, Dross of the dunghill’s most detested dust, Thou has a guerdon, is it not for hire?’ Christ came to me, alone and sorrowful, And offered me a cross, saying to me, ‘I have great joys to give most bountiful. Carry this through the world, and when the sea Of death is past, then is prepared for thee A house of many mansions.’ My desire Hid not from me the vileness of his plea:— ’Thou has a guerdon, is it not for hire?’ ENVOI Prince of the air, thou offerest nought to me I serve thee, recompensed of hell-fire, More nobly than these others, verily Since none with impious word may mock at thee ‘Thou has a guerdon, is it not for hire?’ [34] Previous | Index | Next Preface | Dedicace | Prefatory Sonnet to the Virgin Mary | A Fragment | The Rainbow | With a Copy of ‘Poems and Ballads’ | Ad Lydiam, Ut Secum A Martio Fugeret | Contra Conjugium T.B.B. | A Ballad of Choosing | A Jealous Lover | Ballade de la Jolie Marion | At Stockholm | Mathilde | Yet Time To Turn | All Night | Ode to Venus Callipyge | Volupté | … Home | Features | Fellows | Figures | Forms | Reflections Hermetic.com | About | Contact | Participate | Become a Patron Hermetic Hosting | Hermeneuticon | Hrmtc Underground Hosted by Hermetic.com — fileinfo: path: '../hermetic.com/crowley/white-stains/a-ballad-of-choosing.html' created: 2016-03-15 modified: 2016-03-15 … Thelema If you have found this material useful or enlightening, you may also be interested in Thelema Liber Legis, The Book of the Law Ordo Templi Orientis A∴A∴ Trademark Ordo Templi Orientis, O.T.O., and the O.T.O. Lamen design are registered trademarks of Ordo Templi Orientis. Copyright All copyrights on Aleister Crowley material are held by Ordo Templi Orientis. This site is not an official O.T.O. website, and is neither sponsored by nor controlled by Ordo Templi Orientis. The text of this Aleister Crowley material is made available here only for personal and non-commercial use. This material is provided here in a convenient searchable form as a study resource for those seekers looking for it in their research. For any commercial use, please contact Ordo Templi Orientis. Last modified: 2016/03/15 19:04(external edit)