One Hour to Madness and Joy
O to speed where there is space enough and air enough at last!
O to be absolv’d from previous ties and conventions!
O to escape utterly from others’ anchors and holds!
To drive free! to love free! to dash reckless and dangerous!
To court destruction with taunts – with invitations!
To rise thither with my inebriate soul!
To be lost, if it must be so!
To feed the remainder of life with one hour of fullness and freedom!
With ONE brief hour of madness and joy.
