CERTAINTY

 

 

For certainty was never born

And never lived, to die;

For certainty is phantom-

The world's best and greatest lie!

So know it for illusion

And call it by its name,

For certainty can never rid

You, or life, of pain.

It's nothing and it knows it,

It answers to your call,

But has no truth in being,

Illusion … that is all!

Certainty, that shadowed thing,

A light both brief and clear,

It flashes, teases, disappears

And promises to be

A presence, sure and lasting,

A solid place to be,

And then it cries 'illusion'

Destroys the hope of dream.

It dresses ever prettily,

It primps, and pouts with glee

It dances on my hopes and then

It skips away from me.

This darkling, fairy being

Is no more certain now,

Will no more keep its promise

Than life allowed it should.