CAMELOT FANTASIES

This is my favourite poem if anyone's interested. It's very true too.

 My Mind to Me a Kingdom Is
 
Sir Edward Dyer (d. 1607)
 
 
 
 
MY mind to me a kingdom is; 
  Such present joys therein I find, 
That it excels all other bliss 
  That earth affords or grows by kind: 
Though much I want that most would have,         5
Yet still my mind forbids to crave. 
 
No princely pomp, no wealthy store, 
  No force to win the victory, 
No wily wit to salve a sore, 
  No shape to feed a loving eye;         10
To none of these I yield as thrall; 
For why? my mind doth serve for all. 
 
I see how plenty surfeits oft, 
  And hasty climbers soon do fall; 
I see that those which are aloft         15
  Mishap doth threaten most of all: 
They get with toil, they keep with fear: 
Such cares my mind could never bear. 
 
Content I live, this is my stay; 
  I seek no more than may suffice;         20
I press to bear no haughty sway; 
  Look, what I lack my mind supplies. 
Lo, thus I triumph like a king, 
Content with that my mind doth bring. 
 
Some have too much, yet still do crave;         25
  I little have, and seek no more. 
They are but poor, though much they have, 
  And I am rich with little store; 
They poor, I rich; they beg, I give; 
They lack, I leave; they pine, I live.         30
 
I laugh not at another’s loss, 
  I grudge not at another’s gain; 
No worldly waves my mind can toss; 
  My state at one doth still remain: 
I fear no foe, I fawn no friend;         35
I loathe not life, nor dread my end. 
 
Some weigh their pleasure by their lust, 
  Their wisdom by their rage of will; 
Their treasure is their only trust, 
  A cloakèd craft their store of skill;         40
But all the pleasure that I find 
Is to maintain a quiet mind. 
 
My wealth is health and perfect ease, 
  My conscience clear my chief defence; 
I neither seek by bribes to please,         45
  Nor by deceit to breed offence: 
Thus do I live; thus will I die; 
Would all did so as well as I!