The Portable William Blake (12 page)
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Authors: William Blake
A LITTLE GIRL LOST
Children of the future Age
Reading this indignant page,
Know that in a former time
Love! sweet Love! was thought a crime.
Reading this indignant page,
Know that in a former time
Love! sweet Love! was thought a crime.
In the Age of Gold,
Free from winter’s cold,
Youth and maiden bright
To the holy light,
Naked in the sunny beams delight.
Free from winter’s cold,
Youth and maiden bright
To the holy light,
Naked in the sunny beams delight.
Once a youthful pair,
Fill’d with softest care,
Met in garden bright
Where the holy light
Had just remov’d the curtains of the night.
Fill’d with softest care,
Met in garden bright
Where the holy light
Had just remov’d the curtains of the night.
There, in rising day,
On the grass they play;
Parents were afar,
Strangers came not near,
And the maiden soon forgot her fear.
On the grass they play;
Parents were afar,
Strangers came not near,
And the maiden soon forgot her fear.
Tired with kisses sweet,
They agree to meet
When the silent sleep
Waves o’er heaven’s deep,
And the weary tired wanderers weep.
They agree to meet
When the silent sleep
Waves o’er heaven’s deep,
And the weary tired wanderers weep.
To her father white
Came the maiden bright;
But his loving look,
Like the holy book,
All her tender limbs with terror shook.
Came the maiden bright;
But his loving look,
Like the holy book,
All her tender limbs with terror shook.
“Ona! pale and weak !
To thy father speak:
0, the trembling fear!
O, the dismal care!
That shakes the blossoms of my hoary hair.”
To thy father speak:
0, the trembling fear!
O, the dismal care!
That shakes the blossoms of my hoary hair.”
ADDITIONAL POEMS
(1794-1901)
TO TIRZAHWhate’er is Born of Mortal Birth
Must be consumed with the Earth
to rise from Generation free:
Then what have I to do with thee?
Must be consumed with the Earth
to rise from Generation free:
Then what have I to do with thee?
The Sexes sprung from Shame & Pride,
Blow’d in the mom; in evening died;
But Mercy chang’d Death into Sleep;
The Sexes rose to work & weep.
Blow’d in the mom; in evening died;
But Mercy chang’d Death into Sleep;
The Sexes rose to work & weep.
Thou, Mother of my Mortal part,
With cruelty didst mould my Heart,
And with false self-decieving tears
Didst bind my Nostrils, Eyes, & Ears:
With cruelty didst mould my Heart,
And with false self-decieving tears
Didst bind my Nostrils, Eyes, & Ears:
Didst close my Tongue in senseless clay,
And me to Mortal Life betray.
The Death of Jesus set me free:
Then what have I to do with thee?
THE SCHOOLBOYAnd me to Mortal Life betray.
The Death of Jesus set me free:
Then what have I to do with thee?
I love to rise in a summer morn
When the birds sing on every tree;
When the birds sing on every tree;
The distant huntsman winds his horn,
And the sky-lark sings with me.
O! what sweet company.
And the sky-lark sings with me.
O! what sweet company.
But to go to school in a summer morn,
O! it drives all joy away;
Under a cruel eye outworn,
The little ones spend the day
In sighing and dismay.
O! it drives all joy away;
Under a cruel eye outworn,
The little ones spend the day
In sighing and dismay.
Ah! then at times I drooping sit,
And spend many an anxious hour,
Nor in my book can I take delight,
Nor sit in learning’s bower,
Worn thro’ with the dreary shower.
And spend many an anxious hour,
Nor in my book can I take delight,
Nor sit in learning’s bower,
Worn thro’ with the dreary shower.
How can the bird that is born for joy
Sit in a cage and sing?
How can a child, when fears annoy,
But droop his tender wing,
And forget his youthful spring?
Sit in a cage and sing?
How can a child, when fears annoy,
But droop his tender wing,
And forget his youthful spring?
O! father & mother, if buds are nip’d
And blossoms blown away,
And if the tender plants are strip’d
Of their joy in the springing day,
By sorrow and care’s dismay,
And blossoms blown away,
And if the tender plants are strip’d
Of their joy in the springing day,
By sorrow and care’s dismay,
How shall the summer arise in joy,
Or the summer fruits appear?
Or how shall we gather what griefs destroy,
Or bless the mellowing year,
When the blasts of winter appear?
THE VOICE OF THE ANCIENT BARDOr the summer fruits appear?
Or how shall we gather what griefs destroy,
Or bless the mellowing year,
When the blasts of winter appear?
Youth of delight, come hither,
And see the opening morn,
Image of truth new born.
Doubt is fled, & clouds of reason,
Dark disputes & artful teazing.
Folly is an endless maze,
Tangled roots perplex her ways.
How many have fallen there!
They stumble all night over bones of the dead,
And feel they know not what but care,
And wish to lead others, when they should be led.
A DIVINE IMAGEAnd see the opening morn,
Image of truth new born.
Doubt is fled, & clouds of reason,
Dark disputes & artful teazing.
Folly is an endless maze,
Tangled roots perplex her ways.
How many have fallen there!
They stumble all night over bones of the dead,
And feel they know not what but care,
And wish to lead others, when they should be led.
Cruelty has a Human Heart,
And Jealousy a Human Face;
Terror the Human Form Divine,
And Secrecy the Human Dress.
And Jealousy a Human Face;
Terror the Human Form Divine,
And Secrecy the Human Dress.
The Human Dress is forged Iron,
The Human Form a fiery Forge,
The Human Face a Furnace seal’d.
The Human Heart its hungry Gorge.
The Human Form a fiery Forge,
The Human Face a Furnace seal’d.
The Human Heart its hungry Gorge.
IV.
VERSES AND FRAGMENTS FROM THE ROSSETTI AND PICKERING MANUSCRIPTS
FIRST SERIES
(1793-1799)
Never seek to tell thy love
Love that never told can be;
For the gentle wind does move
Silently, invisibly.
Love that never told can be;
For the gentle wind does move
Silently, invisibly.
I told my love, I told my love,
I told her all my heart,
Trembling, cold, in ghastly fears—
Ah, she doth depart.
I told her all my heart,
Trembling, cold, in ghastly fears—
Ah, she doth depart.
Soon as she was gone from me
A traveller came by
Silently, invisibly—
0, was no deny.
A traveller came by
Silently, invisibly—
0, was no deny.
I laid me down upon a bank
Where love lay sleeping.
I heard among the rushes dank
Weeping, Weeping.
Where love lay sleeping.
I heard among the rushes dank
Weeping, Weeping.
Then I went to the heath & the wild
To the thistles & thorns of the waste
And they told me how they were beguil’d,
Driven out, & compel’d to be chaste.
To the thistles & thorns of the waste
And they told me how they were beguil’d,
Driven out, & compel’d to be chaste.
I saw a chapel all of gold
That none did dare to enter in,
And many weeping stood without,
Weeping, mourning, worshipping.
That none did dare to enter in,
And many weeping stood without,
Weeping, mourning, worshipping.
I saw a serpent rise between
The white pillars of the door,
And he forc’d & forc’d & forc’d,
Down the golden hinges tore.
The white pillars of the door,
And he forc’d & forc’d & forc’d,
Down the golden hinges tore.
And along the pavement sweet,
Set with pearls & rubies bright,
All his slimy length he drew,
Till upon the altar white
Set with pearls & rubies bright,
All his slimy length he drew,
Till upon the altar white
Vomiting his poison out
On the bread & on the wine.
So I turn’d into a sty
And laid me down among the swine.
On the bread & on the wine.
So I turn’d into a sty
And laid me down among the swine.
I asked a thief to steal me a peach:
He turned up his eyes.
I ask’d a lithe lady to lie her down:
Holy & meek she cries.
As soon as I went an angel came:
He wink’d at the thief
And smil’d at the dame,
And without one word spoke
Had a peach from the tree,
And ’twixt earnest & joke
Enjoy’d the Lady.
He turned up his eyes.
I ask’d a lithe lady to lie her down:
Holy & meek she cries.
As soon as I went an angel came:
He wink’d at the thief
And smil’d at the dame,
And without one word spoke
Had a peach from the tree,
And ’twixt earnest & joke
Enjoy’d the Lady.
I heard an Angel singing
When the day was springing,
“Mercy, Pity, Peace
Is the world’s release.”
When the day was springing,
“Mercy, Pity, Peace
Is the world’s release.”
Thus he sung all day
Over the new mown hay,
Till the sun went down
And haycocks looked brown.
Over the new mown hay,
Till the sun went down
And haycocks looked brown.
I heard a Devil curse
Over the heath & the furze,
“Mercy could be no more,
If there was nobody poor,
Over the heath & the furze,
“Mercy could be no more,
If there was nobody poor,
“And pity no more could be,
If all were as happy as we.”
At his curse the sun went down,
And the heavens gave a frown.
If all were as happy as we.”
At his curse the sun went down,
And the heavens gave a frown.
Down pour’d the heavy rain
Over the new reap’d grain,
And Miseries’ increase
Is Mercy, Pity, Peace.
A CRADLE SONGOver the new reap’d grain,
And Miseries’ increase
Is Mercy, Pity, Peace.
Sleep, Sleep, beauty bright
Dreaming o’er the joys of night.
Sleep, Sleep: in thy sleep
Little sorrows sit & weep.
Dreaming o’er the joys of night.
Sleep, Sleep: in thy sleep
Little sorrows sit & weep.
Sweet Babe, in thy face
Soft desires I can trace
Secret joys & secret smiles
Little pretty infant wiles.
Soft desires I can trace
Secret joys & secret smiles
Little pretty infant wiles.
As thy softest limbs I feel
Smiles as of the morning steal
O‘er thy cheek & o’er thy breast
Where thy little heart does rest.
Smiles as of the morning steal
O‘er thy cheek & o’er thy breast
Where thy little heart does rest.
O, the cunning wiles that creep
In thy little heart asleep.
When thy little heart does wake,
Then the dreadful lightnings break.
In thy little heart asleep.
When thy little heart does wake,
Then the dreadful lightnings break.
From thy cheek & from thy eye
O’er the youthful harvests nigh
Infant wiles & infant smiles
Heaven & Earth of peace beguiles.
O’er the youthful harvests nigh
Infant wiles & infant smiles
Heaven & Earth of peace beguiles.
I fear’d the fury of my wind
Would blight all blossoms fair & true;
And my sun it shin’d & shin’d
And my wind it never blew.
Would blight all blossoms fair & true;
And my sun it shin’d & shin’d
And my wind it never blew.
But a blossom fair or true
Was not found on any tree;
For all blossoms grew & grew
Fruitless, false, tho’ fair to see.
Was not found on any tree;
For all blossoms grew & grew
Fruitless, false, tho’ fair to see.
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