The Fascination of What's Difficult

1914

The fascination of what's difficultHas dried the sap out of my veins, and rentSpontaneous joy and natural contentOut of my heart. There's something ails our coltThat must, as if it had not holy blood,Nor on an Olympus leaped from cloud to cloud,Shiver under the lash, strain, sweat and joltAs though it dragged road metal. My curse on playsThat have to be set up in fifty ways,On the day's war with every knave and dolt,

Theatre business, management of men.I swear before the dawn comes round againI'll find the stable and pull out the bolt.

From Responsibilities (1914), via the English Wikisource transcription.

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