"The poet's expression of joy conceals his despair at not having found the reality of joy"

This quote by Max Jacob talks to the concept that delight can be a challenging emotion to find and maintain. The poet's expression of joy is a mask, an exterior, that hides the anguish they feel at not having discovered the truth of happiness. This recommends that the poet is searching for happiness, however is unable to do so. The poet's expression of delight is a method of managing the anguish they feel, a way of searching for joy even if it is not real. This quote speaks with the idea that joy is something that is tough to find and keep, and that it can be tough to reveal real pleasure when one is feeling despair. It also speaks with the idea that pleasure can be a fleeting emotion, which it can be difficult to discover and preserve in the face of anguish.