Gems from the Forums: Crowley's "Hymn to Lucifer"

A few years ago, I made a post on Lashtal.com about Crowley's excellent poem "Hymn to Lucifer":

Hymn to Lucifer

 (by Aleister Crowley)

Ware, nor of good nor ill, what aim hath act?
Without its climax, death, what savour hath
Life? an impeccable machine, exact
He paces an inane and pointless path
To glut brute appetites, his sole content
How tedious were he fit to comprehend
Himself! More, this our noble element
Of fire in nature, love in spirit, unkenned
Life hath no spring, no axle, and no end.

His body a bloody-ruby radiant

With noble passion, sun-souled Lucifer
Swept through the dawn colossal, swift aslant
On Eden’s imbecile perimeter.
He blessed nonentity with every curse
And spiced with sorrow the dull soul of sense,
Breathed life into the sterile universe,
With Love and Knowledge drove out innocence
The Key of Joy is disobedience.
 __________________________________

My discussion of this poem appears after the jump.

Read on for more.