"I fought, and that's a lot. I thought I could win ... but nature and luck curbed my endeavour. But it's already something that I took up the struggle, because I see that victory is in the hands of Fate. In me was what was possible and what no future century will be able to deny to me: what a winner could give from his own; that I did not fear death, that I did not submit, my face firm, to anyone of my breed; that I preferred courageous death to pavid life."

-Giordano Bruno



Darkling I listen; and, for many a time I have been half in love with easeful Death,
Call'd him soft names in many a musèd rhyme, To take into the air my quiet breath;
Now more than ever seems it rich to die, To cease upon the midnight with no pain, While thou art pouring forth thy soul abroad In such an ecstasy! Still wouldst thou sing, and I have ears in vain -- To thy high requiem become a sod.

-John Keats



I contemplated man's little spark, what it should be valued before God along side of this great work of heaven and earth.

I therefore became very melancholy and highly troubled. No Scripture could comfort me, though I was quite well versed in it.

When in such sadness I earnestly elevated my spirit into God and locked my whole heart and mind,

along with all my thoughts and will, therein, ceaselessly pressing in with God's Love and Mercy, and not to cease until he blessed me

then after some hard storms my spirit broke through hell's gates into the inmost birth of the Godhead, and there I was embraced with Love as a bridegroom embraces his dear bride.

What kind of spiritual triumph it was I can neither write nor speak; it can only be compared with that where life is born in the midst of death, and is like the resurrection of the dead.

In this light my spirit directly saw through all things, and knew God in and by all creatures, even in herbs and grass.

In this light my will grew in great desire to describe the being of God.

I did not climb up into the Godhead, neither can so mean a man as I am do it; but the Godhead climbed up in me, and revealed such to me out of his Love.

For I saw and knew the Being of all beings, the ground and the unground; the birth of the holy trinity; the source and origin of this world and all creatures in divine Wisdom (Sophia).

- Jakob Böhme
Aurora, 1612
Letters, 1730 edition



So close and yet so far away
And all the things I'd hoped to say
Will have to go unsaid today
Perhaps until tomorrow
Your fears have built a wall between
Our lives and all what loving means
Will have to go unfelt it seems
And that leaves only sorrow
You built your tower strong and tall
Can't you see, it's got to fall someday

You close your eyes and speak to me
Of faith and love and destiny
As distant as eternity
From truth and understanding
The wind blows cold outside your door
It whispers words I've tried before
But you don't hear me anymore
Your pride's just too demanding
You built your tower strong and tall
Can't you see, it's got to fall someday

The end is coming soon it's plain
A warm bed just ain't worth the pain
And I will go and you'll remain
With the bitterness we've tasted
A mother's breast, a newborn child
A poet's tear and drunken smile
I can't help feelin' all the while
Their meaning won't be wasted
You built your tower strong and tall
Can't you see, it's got to fall someday

(lyrics by Townes Van Zandt)

Have love will travel (Sonics, 196*)