97 Quotes by Stevie Smith

It is the privilege of the richTo waste the time of the poorTo water with tears in secretA tree that grows in secretThat bears fruit in secretThat ripened falls to the ground in secretAnd manures the parent treeOh the wicked tree of hatred and the secretThe sap rising and the tears falling.

Hope and desire,All unfulfilled,Have more than ropeAnd hangman killed.

My Muse sits forlornShe wishes she had not been bornShe sits in the coldNo word she says is ever told.

My heart was full of softening showers,I used to swing like this for hours,I did not care for war or death,I was glad to draw my breath.

Into the dark night Resignedly I go, I am not so afraid of the dark night As the friends I do not know,I do not fear the night aboveAs I fear the friends below.

These thoughts are depressing I know. They are depressing, I wish I was more cheerful, it is more pleasant,Also it is a duty, we should smile as well as submitting To the purpose of One Above who is experimentingWith various mixtures of human character which goes best, All is interesting for him it is exciting, but not for us. There I go again. Smile, smile, and get some work to doThen you will be practically unconscious without positively having to go.

Away with them, away; we should not believe fairy stories if we wish to be good. Think of them as persons from the fairy wood.

The pleasures of friendship are exquisite,How pleasant to go to a friend on a visit!I go to my friend, we walk on the grass,And the hours and moments like minutes pass.

Prate not to me of suicide, Faint heart in battle, not for pride I say Endure, but that such end denied Makes welcomer yet the death that's to be died.