The Complete Poems

by William Blake

  And thirst appeard and a sixth age passed of dismal woe

  Enraged & stifled with torment he threw his right arm to the north

  His left arm to the south shooting out in anguish deep

  And his feet stamped the nether abyss in trembling howling & dismay

  And a seventh age passed over & a state of dismal woe

  10 The Council of God on high watching over the Body

  Of Man clothd in Luvahs robes of blood saw & wept

  Descending over Beulahs mild moon coverd regions

  The daughters of Beulah saw the Divine Vision they were comforted

  And as a Double female form loveliness & perfection of beauty

  They bowd the head & worshippd & with mild voice spoke these words

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  Lord. Saviour if thou hadst been here our brother had not died

  And now we know that whatsoever thou wilt ask of God

  He will give it thee for we are weak women & dare not lift

  Our eyes to the Divine pavilions. therefore in mercy thou

  Appearest clothd in Luvahs garments that we may behold thee

  And live. Behold Eternal Death is in Beulah Behold

  We perish & shall not be found unless thou grant a place

  In which we may be hidden under the Shadow of wings

  For if we who are but for a time & who pass away in winter

  10 Behold these wonders of Eternity we shall consume

  Such were the words of Beulah of the Feminine Emanation

  The Empyrean groand throughout All Eden was darkend

  The Corse of [Man] Albion lay on the Rock the sea of Time & Space

  Beat round the Rock in mighty waves & as a Polypus

  That vegetates beneath the Sea the limbs of Man vegetated

  In monstrous forms of Death a Human polypus of Death

  The Saviour mild & gentle bent over the corse of Death

  Saying If ye will Believe your Brother shall rise again

  And first he found the Limit of Opacity & namd it Satan

  20 In Albions bosom for in every human bosom these limits stand

  And next he found the Limit of Contraction & namd it Adam

  While yet those beings were not born nor knew of good or Evil

  Then wondrously the [Deep beneath] Starry Wheels felt the divine hand. Limit

  Was put to Eternal Death Los felt the Limit & saw

  The Finger of God touch the Seventh furnace in terror

  And Los beheld the hand of God over his furnaces

  Beneath the Deeps in dismal Darkness beneath immensity

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  In terrors Los shrunk from his task. his great hammer

  Fell from his hand his fires hid their strong limbs in smoke

  For with noises ruinous hurtlings & clashings & groans

  The immortal endur’d. tho bound in a deadly sleep

  Pale terror siezd the Eyes of Los as he beat round

  The hurtling Demon. terrifid at the shapes

  Enslavd humanity put on he became what he beheld

  He became what he was doing he was himself transformd

  Bring in here the Globe of Blood as in the B of Urizen

  10 Spasms siezd his muscular fibres writhing to & fro his pallid lips

  Unwilling movd as Urizen howld his loins wavd like the sea

  At Enitharmons shrieks his knees each other smote & then he lookd

  With stony Eyes on Urizen & then swift writhd his neck

  Involuntary to the Couch where Enitharmon lay

  The bones of Urizen hurtle on the wind the bones of Los

  Twinge & his iron sinews bend like lead & fold

  Into unusual forms dancing & howling stamping the Abyss

  PAGE 56 (SECOND PORTION)

  End of the Fourth Night

  PAGE 57

  VALA

  [BOOK] NIGHT THE FIFTH

  Infected Mad he dancd on his mountains high & dark as heaven

  Now fixd into one stedfast bulk his features stonify

  From his mouth curses & from his eyes sparks of blighting

  Beside the anvil cold he dancd with the hammer of Urthona

  Terrific pale. Enitharmon stretchd on the [dismal] dreary Earth

  Felt her immortal limbs freeze stiffning pale inflexible

  His feet shr[u]nk withring from the deep shrinking & withering

  And Enitharmon shrunk up all their fibres withring beneath

  As plants witherd by winter leaves & stems & roots decaying

  Melt into thin air while the seed drivn by the furious wind

  Rests on the distant Mountains top. So Los & Enitharmon

  Shrunk into fixed space stood trembling on a Rocky cliff

  Yet mighty bulk & majesty & beauty remaind but unexpansive

  As far as highest Zenith from the lowest Nadir. so far shrunk

  Los from the furnaces a Space immense & left the cold

  Prince of Light bound in chains of intellect among the furnaces

  But all the furnaces were out & the bellows had ceast to blow

  He stood trembling & Enitharmon clung around his knees

  Their senses unexpansive in one stedfast bulk remain

  20 The night blew cold & Enitharmon shriekd on the dismal wind

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  Her pale hands cling around her husband & over her weak head

  Shadows of Eternal Death sit in the leaden air

  But the soft pipe the flute the viol organ harp & cymbal

  And the sweet sound of silver voices calm the weary couch

  Of Enitharmon but her groans drown the immortal harps

  Loud & more loud the living music floats upon the air

  Faint & more faint the daylight wanes. The wheels of turning darkness

  Began in solemn revolutions. Earth convulsd with rending pangs

  10 Rockd to & fro & cried sore at the groans of Enitharmon

  still the faint harps & silver voices calm the weary couch

  But from the caves of deepest night ascending in clouds of mist

  The winter spread his wide black wings across from pole to pole

  Grim frost beneath & terrible snow linkd in a marriage chain

  Began a dismal dance. The winds around on pointed rocks

  Settled like bats innumerable ready to fly abroad

  The groans of Enitharmon shake the skies the labring Earth

  Till from her heart rending his way a terrible Child sprang forth

  In thunder smoke & sullen flames & howlings & fury & blood

  Soon as his burning Eyes were opend on the Abyss

  20 The horrid trumpets of the deep bellowd with bitter blasts

  The Enormous Demons woke & howld around the [youthful] new born king

  Crying Luvah King of Love thou art the King of rage & death

  Urizen cast deep darkness round him raging Luvah pourd

  The spears of Urizen from Chariots round the Eternal tent

  Discord began then yells & cries shook the wide firma[m]ent

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  Where is Sweet Vala gloomy prophet where the lovely form

  That drew the body of Man from heaven into this dark Abyss

  Soft tears & sighs where are you come forth shout on bloody fields

  Shew thy soul Vala shew thy bow & quiver of secret fires

  Draw thy bow Vala from the depths of hell thy black bow draw

  And twang the bow string to our howlings let thine arrows black

  Sing in the Sky as once they sang upon the hills of Light

  When dark Urthona wept in torment of the secret pain

  He wept & he divided & he laid his gloomy head

  10 Down on the Rock of Eternity on darkness of the deep

  Torn by black storms & ceaseless torrents of consuming fire

  Within his breast his fiery sons chaind down & filld with cursings

  And breathing terrible blood & vengeance gnashing his teeth with pain
<
br />   Let loose the Enormous Spirit in the darkness of the deep

  And his dark wife that once fair crystal form divinely clear

  Within his ribs producing serpents whose souls are flames of fire

  But now the times return upon thee Enitharmons womb

  Now holds thee soon to issue forth. Sound Clarions of war

  Call Vala from her close recess in all her dark deceit

  20 Then rage on rage shall fierce redound out of her crystal quiver

  So sung the Demons [of the deep] round red Orc & round faint Enitharmon

  Sweat & blood stood on the limbs of Los in globes. his fiery Eyelids

  Faded. he rouzd he siezd the wonder in his hands & went

  Shuddring & weeping thro the Gloom & down into the deeps

  Enitharmon nursd her fiery child in the dark deeps

  Sitting in darkness. over her Los mournd in anguish fierce

  Coverd with gloom. the fiery boy grew fed by the milk

  Of Enitharmon. Los around her builded pillars of iron

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  And brass & silver & gold fourfold in dark prophetic fear

  For now he feard Eternal Death & uttermost Extinction

  He builded Golgonooza on the Lake of Udan Adan

  Upon the Limit of Translucence then he builded Luban

  Tharmas laid the Foundations & Los finishd it in howling woe

  But when fourteen summers & winters had revolved over

  Their solemn habitation Los beheld the ruddy boy

  Embracing his bright mother & beheld malignant fires

  In his young eyes discerning plain that Orc plotted his death

  10 Grief rose upon his ruddy brows. a tightening girdle grew

  Around his bosom like a bloody cord. in secret sobs

  He burst it, but next morn another girdle succeeds

  Around his bosom. Every day he viewd the fiery youth

  With silent fear & his immortal cheeks grew deadly pale

  Till many a morn & many a night passd over in dire woe

  Forming a girdle in the day & bursting it at night

  The girdle was formd by day by night was burst in twain

  Falling down on the rock an iron chain link by link lockd

  Enitharmon beheld the bloody chain of nights & days

  20 Depending from the bosom of Los & how with [dismal] griding pain

  He went each morning to his labours with the spectre dark

  Calld it the chain of Jealousy. Now Los began to speak

  His woes aloud to Enitharmon. since he could not hide

  His uncouth plague. He siezd the boy in his immortal hands

  While Enitharmon followd him weeping in dismal woe

  Up to the iron mountains top & there the Jealous chain

  Fell from his bosom on the mountain. The Spectre dark

  Held the fierce boy Los naild him down binding around his limbs

  The [dismal] accursed chain O how bright Enitharmon howld & cried

  30 Over her son. Obdurate Los bound down her loved Joy

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  The hammer of Urthona smote the rivets in terror. of brass

  Tenfold. the Demons rage flamd tenfold forth rending

  Roaring redounding. Loud Loud Louder & Louder & fird

  The darkness warring with the waves of Tharmas & Snows of Urizen

  Crackling the flames went up with fury from the immortal demon

  Surrounded with flames the Demon grew loud howling in his fires

  Los folded Enitharmon in a cold white cloud in fear

  Then led her down into the deeps & into his labyrinth

  Giving the Spectre sternest charge over the howling fiend

  10 Concenterd into Love of Parent Storgous Appetite Craving

  His limbs bound down mock at his chains for over them a flame

  Of circling fire unceasing plays to feed them with life & bring

  The virtues of the Eternal worlds ten thousand thousand spirits

  Of life [rejoice] lament around the Demon going forth & returning

  At his enormous call they flee into the heavens of heavens

  And back return with wine & food. Or dive into the deeps

  To bring the thrilling joys of sense to quell his ceaseless rage

  His eyes the lights of his large soul contract or else expand

  Contracted they behold the secrets of the infinite mountains

  20 The veins of gold & silver & the hidden things of Vala

  Whatever grows from its pure bud or breathes a fragrant soul

  Expanded they behold the terrors of the Sun & Moon

  The Elemental Planets & the orbs of eccentric fire

  His nostrils breathe [with] a fiery flame. his locks are like the forests

  Of wild beasts there the lion glares the tyger & wolf howl there

  And there the Eagle hides her young in cliffs & precipices

  His bosom is like starry heaven expanded all the stars

  Sing round. there waves the harvest & the vintage rejoices. the Springs

  Flow into rivers of delight. there the spontaneous flowers

  30 Drink laugh & sing. the grasshopper the Emmet & the Fly

  The golden Moth builds there a house & spreads her silken bed

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  His loins inwove with silken fires are like a furnace fierce

  As the strong Bull in summer time when bees sing round the heath

  Where the herds low after the shadow & after the water spring

  The numrous flocks cover the mountain & shine along the valley

  His knees are rocks of adamant & rubie & emerald

  Spirits of strength in Palaces rejoice in golden armour

  Armed with spear & shield they drink & rejoice over the slain

  Such is the Demon such his terror in the nether deep

  But when returnd to Golgonooza Los & Enitharmon

  10 Felt all the sorrow Parents feel. they wept toward one another

  And Los repented that he had chaind Orc upon the mountain

  And Enitharmons tears prevaild parental love returnd

  Tho terrible his dread of that infernal chain They rose

  At midnight hasting to their much beloved care

  Nine days they traveld thro the Gloom of Entuthon Benithon

  Los taking Enitharmon by the hand led her along

  The dismal vales & up to the iron mountains top where Orc

  Howld in the furious wind he thought to give to Enitharmon

  Her son in tenfold joy & to compensate for her tears

  20 Even if his own death resulted so much pity him paind

  But when they came to the dark rock & to the spectrous cave

  Lo the young limbs had strucken root into the rock & strong

  Fibres had from the Chain of Jealousy inwove themselves

  In a swift vegetation round the rock & round the Cave

  And over the immortal limbs of the terrible fiery boy

  In vain they strove now to unchain. In vain with bitter tears

  To melt the chain of Jealousy. not Enitharmons death

  Nor the Consummation of Los could ever melt the chain

  Nor unroot the infernal fibres from their rocky bed

  30 Nor all Urthonas strength nor all the power of Luvahs Bulls

  Tho they each morning drag the unwilling Sun out of the deep

  Could uproot the infernal chain. for it had taken root

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  Into the iron rock & grew a chain beneath the Earth

  Even to the Center wrapping round the Center & the limbs

  Of Orc entering with fibres. became one with him a living Chain

  Sustained by the Demons life. Despair & Terror & Woe & Rage

  Inwrap the Parents in cold clouds as they bend howling over

  The terrible boy till fainting by his side the Parents fell

  Not long they lay Urthonas spectre found herbs of the pit

  Rubbing their temples he reviv’d
them. all their lamentations

  I write not here but all their after life was lamentation

  10 When satiated with grief they returnd back to Golgonooza

  Enitharmon on the road of Dranthon felt the inmost gate

  Of her bright heart burst open & again close with a [dismal] deadly pain

  Within her heart Vala began to reanimate in bursting sobs

  And when the Gate was open she beheld that [dismal] dreary Deep

  Where bright Ahania wept. She also saw the infernal roots

  Of the chain of Jealousy & felt the rendings of fierce howling Orc

  Rending the Caverns like a mighty wind pent in the Earth

  Tho wide apart as furthest north is from the furthest south

  Urizen trembled where he lay to hear the howling terror

  20 The rocks shook the Eternal bars tuggd to & fro were rifted

  Outstretchd upon the stones of ice the ruins of his throne

  Urizen shuddring heard his trembling limbs shook the strong caves

  The Woes of Urizen shut up in the deep dens of Urthona

  Ah how shall Urizen the King submit to this dark mansion

  Ah how is this! Once on the heights I stretchd my throne sublime

  The mountains of Urizen once of silver where the sons of wisdom dwelt

  And on whose tops the Virgins sang are rocks of Desolation

  My fountains once the haunt of Swans now breed the scaly tortoise

  The houses of my harpers are become a haunt of crows

  30 The gardens of wisdom are become a field of horrid graves

  And on the bones I drop my tears & water them in vain

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  Once how I walked from my palace in gardens of delight

  The sons of wisdom stood around the harpers followd with harps

  Nine virgins clothd in light composd the song to their immortal voices

  And at my banquets of new wine my head was crownd with joy

  Then in my ivory pavilions I slumberd [with] in the noon

  And walked in the silent night among sweet smelling flowers

  Till on my silver bed I slept & sweet dreams round me hoverd

  But now my land is darkend & my wise men are departed

  My songs are turned into cries of Lamentation

  10 Heard on my Mountains & deep sighs under my palace roofs

  Because the Steeds of Urizen once swifter than the light

  Were kept back from my Lord & from his chariot of mercies

  O did I keep the horses of the day in silver pastures

  O I refusd the Lord of day the horses of his prince

  O did I close my treasuries with roofs of solid stone

  And darken all my Palace walls with envryings & hate