THE OCCULT REVIEW

London, England / New York, New York, U.S.A.

March 1910

(page 160)

The Tent

["The Tent" was originally written by Crowley in December 1909 at Chot el Hodna, a very

shallow saline  lake in Algeria. Chot el Hodna Lake can be seen on the Map of Crowley's travel

through Algeria.]

Only the stars endome the lonely camp,

Only the desert leagues encompass it;

Waterless wastes, a wilderness of wit,

Embattled Cold, Imagination's Cramp.

Now were the Desolation fain to stamp

The congealed Spirit of man into the pit,

Save that, unquenchable because unlit,

The Love of God burns steady, like a Lamp.

It burns ! beyond the sands, beyond the stars.

It burns ! beyond the bands, beyond the bars.

And so the Expanse of Mystery, veil by veil,

Burns inward, plume on plume still folding over

The dissolved heart of the amazéd lover—

The angel wings upon the Holy Grail!

W'aint t' Aissha.