Qu'Importe?

This poem from Clark Ashton Smith (CAS) was unpublished in his lifetime, and is not available on The Eldritch Dark, so here's the complete text:

What matters love, what matters pain

if out of pain and love a little wisdom is drawn?

These things came not to flower in the world

but in the spirit they have flowered,

and the flower stands, and overtops the suns of time.

The French title of this poem can be translated into English as "What does it matter?"

Even in a short poem expressing an insight granted by maturity (CAS was in his fifties when he wrote this), the author still manages to bring his unique cosmic flair to the subject matter, with the wonderful closing line "and the flower stands, and overtops the suns of time."  The brief length of "Qu'Importe?" belies the depth of its feeling, and provides quite a contrast to the more verbose verse of the poet's younger years.