The Complete Poems

by William Blake

  But when her spirit returnd as ruddy as a morning when

  The ripe fruit blushes into joy in heavens eternal halls

  [She Secret joyd to see She fed herself on his Despair

  She said I am avengd for all my sufferings of old]

  20 Sorrow shot thro him from his feet it shot up to his head

  Like a cold night that nips the roots & shatters off the leaves

  Silent he stood oer Enitharmon watching her pale face

  He spoke not he was Silent till he felt the cold disease

  Then Los mournd on the dismal wind in his jealous lamentation

  Why can I not Enjoy thy beauty Lovely Enitharmon

  When I return from clouds of Grief in the wandring Elements

  Where thou in thrilling joy in beaming summer loveliness

  Delectable reposest ruddy in my absence flaming with beauty

  Cold pale in sorrow at my approach trembling at my terrific

  30 Forehead & eyes thy lips decay like roses in [early] the spring

  How art thou Shrunk thy grapes that burst in summers vast Excess

  Shut up in little purple covering faintly bud & die

  Thy olive trees that pourd down oil upon a thousand hills

  Sickly look forth & scarcely stretch their branches to the plain

  Thy roses that expanded in the face of glowing morn

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  Hid in a little silken veil scarce breathe & faintly shine

  Thy lilies that gave light what time the morning looked forth

  Hid in the Vales faintly lament & no one hears their voice

  All things beside the woful Los enjoy the delights of beauty

  Once how I sang & calld the beasts & birds to their delights

  Nor knew that I alone exempted from the joys of love

  Must war with secret monsters of the animating worlds

  O that I had not seen the day then should I be at rest

  Nor felt the stingings of desire nor longings after life

  10 For life is Sweet to Los the wretched to his winged woes

  Is given a craving cry that they may sit at night on barren rocks

  And whet their beaks & snuff the air & watch the opening dawn

  And Shriek till at the smells of blood they stretch their boney wings

  And cut the winds like arrows shot by troops of Destiny

  Thus Los lamented in the night unheard by Enitharmon

  For the Shadow of Enitharmon descended down the tree of Mystery

  The Spectre saw the Shade Shivering over his gloomy rocks

  Beneath the tree of Mystery which in the dismal Abyss

  Began to blossom in fierce pain shooting its writhing buds

  20 In throes of birth & now the blossoms falling shining fruit

  Appeard of many colours & of various poisonous qualities

  Of Plagues hidden in shining globes that grew on the living tree

  The Spectre of Urthona saw the Shadow of Enitharmon

  Beneath the Tree of Mystery among the leaves & fruit

  Reddning the Demon strong prepard the poison of sweet Love

  He turnd from side to side in [vain] tears he wept & he embracd

  The fleeting image & in whispers mild wood the faint shade

  Loveliest delight of Men. Enitharmon shady hiding

  In secret places where no eye can trace thy watry way

  30 Have I found thee have I found thee tremblest thou in fear

  Because of Orc because he rent his discordant way

  From thy sweet loins of bliss. red flowd thy blood

  Pale grew thy face [thy/& his] lightnings playd around thee thunders hoverd

  Over thee, & the terrible Orc rent his discordant way

  But the next joy of thine shall be in sweet delusion

  And its birth in fainting & sleep & [woe] Sweet delusions of Vala

  The Shadow of Enitharmon answerd Art thou terrible Shade

  Set over this sweet boy of mine to guard him lest he rend

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  His mother to the winds of heaven Intoxicated with

  The fruit of this delightful tree. I cannot flee away

  From thy embrace else be assurd so horrible a form

  Should never in my arms repose. now listen I will tell

  Thee Secrets of Eternity which neer before unlockd

  My golden lips nor took the bar from Enitharmons breast

  Among the Flowers of Beulah walkd the Eternal Man & Saw

  Vala the lilly of the desart. melting in high noon

  Upon her bosom in sweet bliss he fainted Wonder siezd

  10 All heaven they saw him dark, they built a golden wall

  Round Beulah There he reveld in delight among the Flowers

  Vala was pregnant & brought forth Urizen Prince of Light

  First born of Generation. Then behold a wonder to the Eyes

  Of the now fallen Man a double form Vala appeard. A Male

  And female shuddring pale the Fallen Man recoild

  From the Enormity & calld them Luvah & Vala. turning down

  The vales to find his way back into Heaven but found none

  For his frail eyes were faded & his ears heavy & dull

  Urizen grew up in the plains of Beulah Many Sons

  20 And many daughters flourishd round the holy Tent of Man

  Till he forgot Eternity delighted in his sweet joy

  Among his family his flocks & herds & tents & pastures

  But Luvah close conferrd with Urizen in darksom night

  To bind the father & enslave the brethren Nought he knew

  Of sweet Eternity the blood flowd round the holy tent & rivn

  From its hinges uttering its final groan all Beulah fell

  In dark confusion mean time Los was born & Enitharmon

  But how I know not then forgetfulness quite wrapd me up

  A period nor do I more remember till I stood

  30 Beside Los in the Cavern dark enslavd to vegetative forms

  According to the Will of Luvah who assumd the Place

  Of the Eternal Man & smote him. But thou Spectre dark

  Maist find a way to punish Vala in thy fiery South

  To bring her down subjected to the rage of my fierce boy

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  The Spectre said. Thou lovely Vision this delightful Tree

  Is given us for a Shelter from the tempests of Void & Solid

  Till once again the morn of ages shall renew upon us

  To reunite in those mild fields of happy Eternity

  Where thou & I in undivided Essence walkd about

  Imbodied. thou my garden of delight & I the spirit in the garden

  Mutual there we dwelt in one anothers joy revolving

  Days of Eternity with Tharmas mild & Luvah sweet melodious

  Upon our waters. This thou well rememberest listen I will tell

  10 What thou forgettest. They in us & we in them alternate Livd

  Drinking the oys of Universal Manhood. One dread morn

  Listen O vision of Delight One dread morn of goary blood

  The manhood was divided for the gentle passions making way

  Thro the infinite labyrinths of the heart & thro the nostrils issuing

  In odorous stupefaction stood before the Eyes of Man

  A female bright. I stood beside my anvil dark a mass

  Of iron glowd bright prepard for spades & plowshares. sudden down

  I sunk with cries of blood issuing downward in the veins

  Which now my rivers were become rolling in tubelike forms

  20 Shut up within themselves descending down I sunk along

  The goary tide even to the place of seed & there dividing

  I was divided in darkness & oblivion thou an infant woe

  And I an infant terror in the womb of Enion

  My masculine spirit scorning the frail body issud forth

  From Enions brain In this deformed form leaving thee there

 
Till times passd over thee but still my spirit returning hoverd

  And formd a Male to be a counterpart to thee O Love

  Darkend & Lost In due time issuing forth from Enions womb

  Thou & that demon Los wert born Ah jealousy & woe

  30 Ah poor divided dark Urthona now a Spectre wandering

  The deeps of Los the Slave of that Creation I created

  I labour night & day for Los but listen thou my vision

  I view futurity in thee I will bring down soft Vala

  To the embraces of this terror & I will destroy

  That body I created then shall we unite again in bliss

  Thou knowest that the Spectre is in Every Man insane brutish

  Deformd that I am thus a ravening devouring lust continually

  Craving & devouring but my Eyes are always upon thee O lovely

  Delusion & I cannot crave for any thing but thee [& till

  40 I have thee in my arms & am again united to Los

  To be one body & One spirit with him] not so

  The spectres of the Dead for I am as the Spectre of the Living

  For till these terrors planted round the Gates of Eternal life

  Are driven away & annihilated we never can repass the Gates

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  Astonishd filld with tears the spirit of Enitharmon beheld

  And heard the Spectre bitterly she wept Embracing fervent

  Her once lovd Lord now but a Shade herself also a shade

  Conferring times on times among the branches of that Tree

  Thus they conferrd among the intoxicating fumes of Mystery

  Till Enitharmons shadow pregnant in the deeps beneath

  Brought forth a wonder horrible. While Enitharmon shriekd

  And trembled thro the Worlds above Los wept his fierce soul was terrifid

  At the shrieks of Enitharmon at her tossings nor could his eyes percieve

  10 The cause of her dire anguish for she lay the image of Death

  Movd by strong shudders till her shadow was deliverd then she ran

  Raving about the upper Elements in maddning fury

  She burst the Gates of Enitharmons heart with direful Crash

  Nor could they ever be closd again the golden hinges were broken

  And the gates [burst] broke in sunder & their ornaments defacd

  Beneath the tree of Mystery for the immortal shadow shuddering

  Brought forth this wonder horrible a Cloud she grew & grew

  Till many of the dead burst forth from the bottoms of their tombs

  In male forms without female counterparts or Emanations

  20 Cruel and ravening with Enmity & Hatred & War

  In dreams of Ulro [sweet] dark delusive drawn by the lovely shadow

  The Spectre [smild] terrified gave her Charge over the howling Orc

  Then took the tree of Mystery root in the World of Los

  Its topmost [branches] boughs shooting a [stem] fibre beneath Enitharmons couch

  The double rooted Labyrinth soon wavd around their heads

  [End of the Seventh Night]

  But then the Spectre enterd Los’s bosom Every sigh & groan

  Of Enitharmon bore Urthonas Spectre on its wings

  Obdurate Los felt Pity Enitharmon told the tale

  Of Urthona. Los embracd the Spectre first as a brother

  30 Then as another Self; astonishd humanizing & in tears

  In Self abasement Giving up his Domineering lust

  [The End of the Seventh Night]

  Thou never canst embrace sweet Enitharmon terrible Demon. Till

  Thou art united with thy Spectre Consummating by pains & labours

  [Thy] That mortal body & by Self annihilation back returning

  To Life Eternal be assurd I am thy real Self

  Tho thus divided from thee & the Slave of Every passion

  Of thy fierce Soul Unbar the Gates of Memory look upon me

  Not as another but as thy real Self I am thy Spectre

  Tho horrible & Ghastly to thine Eyes tho buried beneath

  40 The ruins of the Universe. hear what inspird I speak & be silent

  Thou didst subdue me in old times by thy Immortal Strength

  When I was a ravning hungring & thirsting cruel lust & murder

  If [once] we unite in one another better world will be

  Opend within your heart & loins & wondrous brain

  Threefold as it was in Eternity & this the fourth Universe

  Will be Renewd by the three & consummated in Mental fires

  But if thou dost refuse Another body will be prepared

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  For me & thou annihilate evaporate & be no more

  For thou art but a form & organ of life & of thyself

  Art nothing being Created Continually by Mercy & Love divine

  Los furious answerd. Spectre horrible thy words astound my Ear

  With irresistible conviction I feel I am not one of those

  Who when convincd can still persist tho furious controllable

  By Reasons power. Even I already feel a World within

  Opening its gates & in it all the real substances

  Of which these in the outward World are shadows which pass away

  10 Come then into my Bosom & in thy shadowy arms bring with thee

  My lovely Enitharmon. I will quell my fury & teach

  Peace to the Soul of dark revenge & repentance to Cruelty

  So spoke Los & Embracing Enitharmon & the Spectre

  Clouds would have folded round in Extacy & Love uniting

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  But Enitharmon trembling fled & hid beneath Urizens tree

  [Then] But mingling together with his Spectre the Spectre of Urthona

  Wondering beheld the Center opend by Divine Mercy inspired

  He in his turn Gave Tasks to Los Enormous to destroy

  That body he created but in vain for Los performd

  Wonders of labour

  They Builded Golgonooza Los labouring [inspird] builded pillars high

  And Domes terrific in the nether heavens for beneath

  Was opend new heavens & a new Earth beneath & within

  10 Threefold within the brain within the heart within the loins

  A Threefold Atmosphere Sublime continuous from Urthonas world

  But yet having a Limit Twofold named Satan & Adam

  But Los stood on the Limit of Translucence weeping & trembling

  Filled with doubts in self accusation [gatherd] beheld the fruit

  Of Urizens Mysterious tree For Enitharmon thus spake

  When In the Deeps beneath I gatherd of this ruddy fruit

  It was by that I knew that I had Sinnd & then I knew

  That without a ransom I could not be savd from Eternal death

  That Life lives upon Death & by devouring appetite

  20 All things subsist on one another thenceforth in despair

  I spend my glowing time but thou art strong & mighty

  To bear this Self conviction take then Eat thou also of

  The fruit & give me proof of life Eternal or I die

  Then Los plucked the fruit & Eat & sat down in Despair

  And must have given himself to death Eternal But

  Urthonas spectre in part mingling with him comforted him

  Being a medium between him & Enitharmon But This Union

  Was not to be Effected without Cares & Sorrows & Troubles

  Of six thousand Years of self denial and [many Tears.] of bitter Contrition

  30 Urthonas Spectre terrified beheld the Spectres of the Dead

  Each Male formd without a counterpart without a concentering vision

  The Spectre of Urthona wept before Los Saying I am the cause

  That this dire state commences I began the dreadful state

  Of Separation & on my dark head the curse & punishment

  Must fall unless a way be found to Ransom & Redeem

  But I have thee my [C
ounterpart/Vegetative] miraculous

  These Spectres have no [Counterparts] therefore they ravin

  Without the food of life Let us Create them Coun[terparts]

  For without a Created body the Spectre is Eternal Death

  40 Los trembling answerd Now I feel the weight of stern repentance

  Tremble not so my Enitharmon at the awful gates

  Of thy poor broken Heart I see thee like a shadow withering

  As on the outside of Existence but look! behold! take comfort!

  Turn inwardly thine Eyes & there behold the Lamb of God

  Clothed in Luvahs robes of blood descending to redeem

  O Spectre of Urthona take comfort O Enitharmon

  Couldst thou but cease from terror & trembling & affright

  When I appear before thee in forgiveness of[former injuries] ancient injuries

  Why shouldst thou remember & be afraid. I surely have died in pain

  50 Often enough to convince thy jealousy & fear & terror

  Come hither be patient let us converse together because

  I also tremble at myself & at all my former life

  Enitharmon answerd I behold the Lamb of God descending

  To Meet these Spectres of the Dead I therefore fear that he

  Will give us to Eternal Death fit punishment for such

  Hideous offenders Uttermost extinction in eternal pain

  An ever dying life of stifling & obstruction shut out

  Of existence to be a sign of terror to all who behold

  Lest any should in futurity do as we have done in heaven

  60 Such is our state nor will the Son of God redeem us but destroy

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  So Enitharmon spoke trembling & in torrents of tears

  Los sat in Golgonooza in the Gate of Luban where

  He had erected many porches [which] where branchd the Mysterious Tree

  Where the Spectrous dead wail & sighing thus he spoke to Enitharmon

  Lovely delight of Men Enitharmon [sweet] shady refuge from furious war

  Thy bosom translucent is a soft repose for the weeping souls

  Of those piteous victims of battle there they sleep in happy obscurity

  They feed upon our life we are their victims. Stern desire

  I feel to fabricate embodied semblances in which the dead

  10 May live before us in our palaces & in our gardens of [pleasure] labour

  Which now opend within the Center we behold spread abroad

  To form a world of [life & love] Sacrifice of brothers & sons & daughters

  To comfort Orc in his dire sufferings look my fires enlume afresh

  Before my face ascending with delight as in ancient times

  Enitharmon spread her beaming locks upon the wind & said