Who never wanted,—maddest joy
Remains to him unknown;
The banquet of abstemiousness
Surpasses that of wine.Within its hope, though yet ungrasped Desire’s perfect goal,
~Emily Dickinson
No nearer, lest reality
Should disenthrall thy soul.
I am firmly in the Emily Dickinson camp on this issue–anticipation is better than actuality. The maddest joy comes not in the moment of realizing a happiness, but in the hope for it. What do you think?
The Emily Project 