O crowd of despair, live long and be happy, for you have alienated me from everyone and made me oblivious to all.
Here, the poet greets absolute hopelessness not with sorrow, but with bitter gratitude and praise. It sounds paradoxical, but reaching the peak of despair brings its own strange freedom—once you expect nothing, the world completely loses its power to hurt you. By swallowing him whole, this sadness has severed all worldly attachments, granting him an unexpected, tranquil detachment from life's anxieties.
Interpretation note: meanings and explanations may be AI-assisted and should not replace a primary text or scholarly edition. See the editorial policy.
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