Who countest the steps of the Sun:
Seeking after that sweet golden clime
Where the travellers journey is done.
Where the Youth pined away with desire,
And the pale Virgin shrouded in snow:
Arise from their graves and aspire,
Where my Sun-flower wishes to go.
THE LILLY
The modest Rose puts forth a thorn:
The humble Sheep, a threatning horn:
While the Lilly white, shall in Love delight,
Nor a thorn nor a threat stain her beauty bright
THE GARDEN OF LOVE
I went to the Garden of Love.
And saw what I never had seen:
A Chapel was built in the midst,
Where I used to play on the green.
And the gates of this Chapel were shut,
And Thou shalt not. writ over the door;
So I turn’d to the Garden of Love,
That so many sweet flowers bore.
And I saw it was filled with graves,
10 And tomb-stones where flowers should be:
And Priests in black gowns, were walking their rounds,
And binding with briars, my joys & desires.
THE LITTLE VAGABOND
Dear Mother, dear Mother, the Church is cold.
But the Ale-house is healthy & pleasant & warm;
Besides I can tell where I am use’d well,
Such usage in heaven will never do well.
But if at the Church they would give us some Ale.
And a pleasant fire, our souls to regale;
We’d sing and we’d pray, all the live-long day;
Nor ever once wish from the Church to stray,
Then the Parson might preach & drink & sing.
10 And we’d be as happy as birds in the spring:
And modest dame Lurch, who is always at Church,
Wou’ld not have bandy children nor fasting nor birch.
And God like a father rejoicing to see,
His children as pleasant and happy as he:
Would have no more quarrel with the Devil or the Barrel
But kiss him & give him both drink and apparel.
LONDON
I wander thro’ each charter’d street,
Near where the charter’d Thames does flow.
And mark in every face I meet
Marks of weakness, marks of woe.
In every cry of every Man,
In every Infants cry of fear,
In every voice: in every ban,
The mind-forg’d manacles I hear
How the Chimney-sweepers cry
10 Every blackning Church appalls,
And the hapless Soldiers sigh,
Runs in blood down Palace walls
But most thro’ midnight streets I hear
How the youthful Harlots curse
Blasts the new-born Infants tear
And blights with plagues the Marriage hearse
THE HUMAN ABSTRACT
Pity would be no more,
If we did not make somebody Poor:
And Mercy no more could be,
If all were as happy as we;
And mutual fear brings peace;
Till the selfish loves increase.
Then Cruelty knits a snare,
And spreads his baits with care.
He sits down with holy fears,
10 And waters the ground with tears:
Then Humility takes its root
Underneath his foot.
Soon spreads the dismal shade
Of Mystery over his head;
And the Catterpiller and Fly,
Feed on the Mystery.
And it bears the fruit of Deceit,
Ruddy and sweet to eat;
And the Raven his nest has made
20 In its thickest shade.
The Gods of the earth and sea,
Sought thro’ Nature to find this Tree
But their search was all in vain:
There grows one in the Human Brain
INFANT SORROW
My mother groand! my father wept.
Into the dangerous world I leapt:
Helpless, naked, piping loud;
Like a fiend hid in a cloud.
Struggling in my fathers hands:
Striving against my swadling bands:
Bound and weary I thought best
To sulk upon my mothers breast.
A POISON TREE
I was angry with my friend:
I told my wrath, my wrath did end.
I was angry with my foe:
I told it not, my wrath did grow.
And I watered it in fears.
Night & morning with my tears:
And I sunned it with smiles.
And with soft deceitful wiles.
And it grew both day and night.
10 Till it bore an apple bright.
And my foe beheld it shine.
And he knew that it was mine.
And into my garden stole.
When the night had veild the pole;
In the morning glad I see;
My foe outstretchd beneath the tree.
A LITTLE BOY LOST
Nought loves another as itself
Nor venerates another so.
Nor is it possible to Thought
A greater than itself to know:
And Father, how can I love you,
Or any of my brothers more?
I love you like the little bird
That picks up crumbs around the door.
The Priest sat by and heard the child.
10 In trembling zeal he siez’d his hair:
He led him by his little coat:
And all admir’d the Priestly care.
And standing on the altar high,
Lo what a fiend is here! said he:
One who sets reason up for judge
Of our most holy Mystery.
The weeping child could not be heard.
The weeping parents wept in vain:
They strip’d him to his little shirt.
20 And bound him in an iron chain.
And burn’d him in a holy place,
Where many had been burn’d before:
The weeping parents wept in vain.
Are such things done on Albions shore.
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.
In the Age of Gold,
Free from winters cold:
Youth and maiden bright,
To the holy light,
Naked in the sunny beams delight.
10 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.
There in rising day,
On the grass they play:
Parents were afar:
Strangers came not near:
And the maiden soon forgot her fear.
20 Tired with kisses sweet
They agree to meet,
When the silent sleep
Waves o’er heavens 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.
Ona! pale and weak!
To thy father speak:
O the trembling fear!
O the dismal care!
That shakes the blossoms of my hoary hair
TO TIRZAH
Whate’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?
The Sexes spru
ng from Shame & Pride
Blow’d in the morn: in evening died
But Mercy changd Death into Sleep;
The Sexes rose to work & weep.
Thou Mother of my Mortal part
10 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 SCHOOL BOY
I love to rise in a summer morn,
When the birds sing on every tree;
The distant huntsman winds his horn,
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,
10 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 learnings 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,
20 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 cares 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,
30 When the blasts of winter appear.
THE VOICE OF THE ANCIENT BARD
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;
10 And feel they know not what but care;
And wish to lead others when they should be led.
NOTEBOOK POEMS AND FRAGMENTS, c. 1789–93
A flower was offerd to me
Such a flower as may never bore
But I said Ive a pretty rose tree
And I passed the sweet flower oer
Then I went to my pretty rose tree
[In the silent of the night]
To tend it by day & by night
But my rose [was turnd from me/was filld] turnd away with Jealousy
And her thorns were my only delight
*
[Never (seek) pain to tell thy love
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
Soon as she was gone from me
A traveller came by
Silently invisibly
[He took her with a sigh]
O was no deny
*
Love seeketh not itself to please
Nor for itself hath any care
But for another gives its ease
And builds a heaven in hells despair
So sung a little clod of clay
Trodden with the cattles feet
But a pebble of the brook
Warbled out these metres meet
Love seeketh only self to please
To bind another to its delight
Joys in anothers loss of ease
And builds a hell in heavens despite
*
I laid me down upon a bank
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 beguild
Driven out & compeld to be chaste
*
I went to the garden of love
And I saw what I never had seen
A chapel was built in the midst
Where I used to play on the green
And the gates of the chapel were shut
And thou shalt not writ over the door
[And] So I turned to the garden of love
That so many sweet flowers bore
And I saw it was filled with graves
10 And tomb-stones where flowers should be
And priests in black gounds were walking their rounds
And binding with briars my joys & desires
*
I saw a chapel all of gold
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 forcd & forcd & forcd
[Till he broke the pearly door]
Down the golden hinges tore
10 And along the pavement sweet
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 turned into a sty
And laid me down among the swine
*
I asked a thief [if he’d] to steal me a peach
[And] He turned up his eyes
I askd a lithe lady to lie her down
[And] Holy & meek she cries
As soon as I went An angel came
[And] He winkd at the thief
And [he] smild at the dame
And without one word [spoke] said
10 Had a peach from the tree
[And twixt earnest & (game) joke] And still as a maid
[He] Enjoy’d the [da] lady.
*
I heard an Angel singing
When the day was springing
Mercy Pity [&] Peace
Is the worlds release
Thus he sung all day
Over the new mown hay
Till the sun went down
And haycocks looked brown
I heard a Devil curse
10 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
[Thus he sang &] At his curse the sun went down
And the heavens gave a frown
[(And) Down pourd the heavy rain
Over the new reapd grain
And Mercy & Pity & Peace descended
20 The Farmers were ruind & harvest was ended]
[And Mercy Pity & Peace [And by distress increase
Joyd at their increase Mercy Pity Peace
With Povertys Increase By Misery to increase
Are] mercy Pity Peace]
And Miseries increase
Is Mercy Pity Peace
*
A CRADLE SONG
1 3 Sleep Sleep; in thy sleep
[Thou wilt every secret keep]
[Canst] [Thou canst any secret keep]
4 Little sorrows sit & weep
1 Sleep Sleep beauty bright
[Thou shalt taste the joys of night]
2 Dreaming oer the joys of night
[Yet a little while the moon Silent]
10 3 As thy softest limbs I [touch/stroke] feel
Smiles as of the morning [brok
e] steal
Oer thy cheek & oer thy breast
Where thy little heart does rest
4 O the cunning wiles that creep
In thy little heart asleep
When thy little heart does wake
Then the dreadful lightnings break
2 Sweet Babe in thy face
20 Soft desires I can trace
Secret joys & secret smiles
[Such as burning youth beguiles]
Little pretty infant wiles
5 From thy cheek & from thy eye
Oer the youthful harvests nigh
[Female] Infant wiles & [female] infant smiles
Heaven & Earth of peace beguiles
*
CHRISTIAN FORBEARANCE
I was angry with my friend
I told my wrath my wrath did end
I was angry with my foe
I told it not my wrath did grow
And I waterd it in fears
Night & morning with my tears
And I sunned it with smiles
And with soft deceitful wiles
And it grew by day & night
10 Till it bore an apple bright
[And I gave it to my foe]
And my foe beheld it shine
And he knew that it was mine
And into my garden stole
When the night had veild the pole
In the morning Glad I see
My foe outstretchd beneath the tree
*
I feard the [roughness] fury of my wind
Would blight all blossoms fair & true
And my sun it shind & shind
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
*
[THAMES]
Why should I care for the men of thames
Or the cheating waves of charterd streams
Or shrink at the little blasts of fear
That the hireling blows into my ear
Tho born on the cheating banks of Thames
Tho his waters bathed my infant limbs
[I spurnd his waters away from me]
The Ohio shall wash his stains from me
I was born a slave but I [long] go to be free
*
INFANT SORROW
My mother groand my father wept
Into the dangerous world I leapt
Helpless naked piping loud
Like a fiend hid in a cloud
Struggling in my fathers hands
Striving against my swaddling bands
Bound & weary I thought best
To sulk upon my mothers breast
When I saw that rage was vain
10 And to sulk would nothing gain
[I began to so/Seeking many an artful wile]
Turning many a trick or wile
I began to soothe & smile
And I [grew/smild] soothd day after day
Till upon the ground I stray
And I [grew] smild night after night
Seeking only for delight
The Complete Poems Page 11