Folly

What distant mountains thrill and glow

Beneath our Lady Folly's tread?

Why has she left us, wise in woe,

Shrewd, practical, uncomforted?

We cannot love or dream or sing,

We are too cynical to pray,

There is no joy in anything

Since Lady Folly went away.

Many a knight and gentle maid,

Whose glory shines from years gone by,

Through ignorance was unafraid

And as a fool knew how to die.

Saint Folly rode beside Jehanne

And broke the ranks of Hell with her,

And Folly's smile shone brightly on

Christ's plaything, Brother Juniper.

Our minds are troubled and defiled

By study in a weary school.

O for the folly of the child!

The ready courage of the fool!

Lord, crush our knowledge utterly

And make us humble, simple men;

And cleansed of wisdom, let us see

Our Lady Folly's face again.