Finding the “Mossy Nest”: Love as Our Only True Capital
This Heart That Flutters Near My Heart
James Joyce
This heart that flutters near my heart
My hope and all my riches is,
Unhappy when we draw apart
And happy between kiss and kiss:
My hope and all my riches — – yes! — –
And all my happiness.
For there, as in some mossy nest
The wrens will divers treasures keep,
I laid those treasures I possessed
Ere that mine eyes had learned to weep.
Shall we not be as wise as they
Though love live but a day.
The Soul’s Currency
In an age defined by the relentless pursuit of “more”—more followers, more productivity, more status—James Joyce’s tender lyric, This heart that flutters near my heart, acts as a necessary sanctuary. Joyce reminds us that true riches aren’t found in a bank account or a career trajectory, but in the “mossy nest” of intimate connection.
The poem explores the profound vulnerability of placing one’s entire worth (“all my riches”) into the hands of another. For a contemporary reader, this is a radical act of rebellion. We live in a world that prizes self-sufficiency and “optimal” living, yet Joyce suggests that wisdom lies in embracing the fleeting nature of love—even if it “live but a day.”
By comparing the heart’s treasures to the simple gatherings of a wren, Joyce invites us to return to a primordial, uncomplicated joy. In our complex, hyper-connected society, the poem’s application is clear: we must protect our capacity for wonder and intimacy before the world teaches us only how to weep. It is an invitation to value the “kiss and kiss” over the noise of the digital crowd.
As you read this poem, ask yourself:
In a world that demands I constantly “invest” in my future, what “treasures” am I currently keeping in my own mossy nest that have nothing to do with money or fame?