The Portable William Blake (19 page)

To my Friend Butts I write
My first Vision of Light,
On the yellow sands sitting.
The Sun was Emitting
His Glorious beams
From Heaven’s high Streams.
Over Sea, over Land
My Eyes did Expand
Into regions of air
Away from all Care,
Into regions of fire
Remote from Desire;
The Light of the Morning
Heaven’s Mountains adorning:
In particles bright
The jewels of Light
Distinct shone & clear.
Amaz’d & in fear
I each particle gazed,
Astonish‘d, Amazed;
For each was a Man
Human-form’d. Swift I ran,
For they beckon’d to me
Remote by the Sea,
Saying: “Each grain of Sand,
Every Stone on the Land,
Each rock & each hill,
Each fountain & rill,
Each herb & each tree,
Mountain, hill, earth & sea,
Cloud, Meteor & Star,
Are Men seen Afar.”
I stood in the Streams
Of Heaven’s bright beams,
And Saw Felpham sweet
Beneath my bright feet
In soft Female charms;
And in her fair arms
My Shadow I knew
And my wife’s shadow too,
And My Sister & Friend.
We like Infants descend
In our Shadows on Earth,
Like a weak mortal birth.
My Eyes more and more
Like a Sea without shore
Continue Expanding,
The Heavens commanding,
Till the Jewels of Light,
Heavenly Men beaming bright,
Appear’d as One Man,
Who complacent began
My limbs to infold
In his beams of bright gold;
Like dross purg’d away
All my mire & my clay.
Soft consum’d in delight
In his bosom Sun bright
I remain’d. Soft he smil’d,
And I heard his voice Mild
Saying: “This is My Fold,
O thou Ram horn’d with gold,
Who awakest from Sleep
On the Sides of the Deep.
On the Mountains around
The roarings resound
Of the lion & wolf,
The loud Sea & deep gulf.
These are guards of My Fold,
O thou Ram horn’d with gold!”
And the voice faded mild.
I remain’d as a Child;
All I ever had known
Before me bright Shone.
I saw you & your wife
By the fountains of Life.
Such the Vision to me
Appear’d on the sea.