Read The Complete Poems Page 24

  Than all these labours of the harvest & the vintage. See the river

  Red with the blood of Men. swells lustful round my rocky knees

  My clouds are not the clouds of verdant fields & groves of fruit

  But Clouds of Human Souls, my nostrils drink the lives of Men

  The Villages Lament, they faint outstretchd upon the plain

  Wailing runs round the Valleys from the Mill & from the Barn

  But most the polishd Palaces [?weak] dark silent bow with dread

  Hiding their books & pictures, underneath the dens of Earth

  The Cities send to one another saying My sons are Mad

  20 With wine of cruelty. Let us plat a scourge O Sister City

  Children are nourishd for the Slaughter; once the Child was fed

  With Milk; but wherefore now are Children fed with blood

  PAGE 15

  The Horse is of more value than the Man. The Tyger fierce

  Laughs at the Human form, the Lion mocks & thirsts for blood

  They cry O Spider spread thy web! Enlarge thy bones & fill’d

  With marrow, sinews & flesh Exalt thyself attain a voice

  Call to thy dark armd hosts, for all the sons of Men muster together

  To desolate their cities! Man shall be no more! Awake O Hosts

  The bow string sang upon the hills! Luvah & Vala ride

  Triumphant in the bloody sky. & the Human form is no more

  The listning Stars heard, & the first beam of the morning started back

  10 He cried out to his Father, depart! depart! but sudden Siez’d,

  And clad in steel. & his Horse proudly neighd; he smelt the battle

  Afar off, Rushing back, reddning with rage the [Eternal] Mighty Father

  Siezd his bright Sheephook studded with gems & gold, he Swung it round

  His head shrill sounding in the sky, down rushd the Sun with noise

  Of war. The Mountains fled away they sought a place beneath

  Vala remaind in desarts of dark solitude, nor Sun nor Moon

  By night nor day to comfort her, she labourd in thick smoke

  Tharmas endurd not, he fled howling, then a barren waste sunk down

  Conglobing in the dark confusion, Mean time Los was born

  20 And Thou O Enitharmon! Hark I hear the hammers of Los

  PAGE 16

  They melt the bones of Vala, & the bones of Luvah into wedges

  The innumerable sons & daughters of Luvah closd in furnaces

  Melt into furrows, winter blows his bellows: Ice & Snow

  Tend the dire anvils. Mountains mourn & Rivers faint & fail

  There is no City nor Corn-field nor Orchard! all is Rock & Sand

  There is no Sun nor Moon nor Star, but rugged wintry rocks

  Justling together in the void suspended by inward fires

  Impatience now no longer can endure. Distracted Luvah

  Bursting forth from the loins of Enitharmon, Thou fierce Terror

  10 Go howl in vain, Smite Smite his fetters Smite O wintry hammers

  Smite Spectre of Urthona, mock the fiend who drew us down

  From heavens of joy into this Deep. Now rage but rage in vain

  Thus Sang the Demons of the Deep. the Clarions of War blew loud

  The Feast redounds & Crownd with roses & the circling vine

  The Enormous Bride & Bridegroom sat, beside them Urizen

  With faded radiance sighd, forgetful of the flowing wine

  And of Ahania his Pure Bride but She was distant far

  But Los & Enitharmon sat in discontent & scorn

  Craving the more the more enjoying, drawing out sweet bliss

  20 From all the turning wheels of heaven & the chariots of the Slain

  At distance Far in Night repelld. in direful hunger craving

  Summers & Winters round revolving in the frightful deep.

  PAGE 17

  [And] Enion blind & age-bent wept upon the desolate wind

  Why does the Raven cry aloud and no eye pities her?

  Why fall the Sparrow & the Robin in the foodless winter?

  Faint! shivering they sit on leafless bush, or frozen stone

  Wearied with seeking food across the snowy waste; the little

  Heart, cold; and the little tongue consum’d, that once in thoughtless joy

  Gave songs of gratitude to [the] waving corn fields round their nest.

  Why howl the Lion & the Wolf? why do they roam abroad?

  Deluded by [the] summers heat they sport in enormous love

  And cast their young out to the hungry wilds & sandy desarts

  PAGE l8

  Why is the Sheep given to the knife? the Lamb plays in the Sun

  He starts! he hears the foot of Man! he says, Take thou my wool

  But spare my life, but he knows not that [the] winter cometh fast.

  The Spider sits in his labourd Web, eager watching for the Fly

  Presently comes a famishd Bird & takes away the Spider

  His Web is left all desolate, that his little anxious heart

  So careful wove; & spread it out with sighs and weariness.

  This was the Lamentation of Enion round the golden Feast

  Eternity groand and was troubled at the image of Eternal Death

  10 Without the body of Man an Exudation from his sickning limbs

  Now Man was come to the Palm tree & to the Oak of Weeping

  Which stand upon the Edge of Beulah & he sunk down

  From the supporting arms of the Eternal Saviour; who disposd

  The pale limbs of his Eternal Individuality

  Upon The Rock of Ages. Watching over him with Love & Care

  [End of the First Night]

  PAGE 21

  Then those in Great Eternity met in the Council of God

  As one Man for contracting their Exalted Senses

  They behold Multitude or Expanding they behold as one

  As One Man all the Universal family & that one Man

  They call Jesus the Christ & they in him & he in them

  Live in Perfect harmony in Eden the land of life

  Consulting as One Man above [Mount Gilead] the

  Mountain of Snowdon Sublime

  For messengers from Beulah come in tears & darkning clouds

  Saying Shiloh is in ruins our brother is sick [Shiloh] Albion He

  10 Whom thou lovest is sick he wanders from his house of Eternity

  The daughters of Beulah terrified have closd the Gate of the Tongue

  Luvah & Urizen contend in war around the holy tent

  So spoke the Ambassadors from Beulah & with solemn mourning

  They were introducd to the divine presence & they kneeled down

  In [Beth Peor] Conways Vale thus recounting the Wars of Death Eternal

  The Eternal Man wept in the holy tent Our Brother in Eternity

  Even [Shiloh] Albion whom thou lovest wept in pain his family

  Slept round on hills & valleys in the regions of his love

  But Urizen awoke & Luvah woke & thus conferrd

  20 Thou Luvah said the Prince of Light behold our sons & daughters

  Reposd on beds. let them sleep on, do thou alone depart

  Into thy wished Kingdom where in Majesty & Power

  We may erect a throne. deep in the North I place my lot

  Thou in the South listen attentive. In silent of this night

  I will infold the Eternal tent in clouds opake while thou

  Siezing the chariots of the morning. Go outfleeting ride

  Afar into the Zenith high bending thy furious course

  Southward with half the tents of men inclosd in clouds

  Of Tharmas & Urthona. I remaining in porches of the brain

  30 Will lay my scepter on Jerusalem the Emanation

  On all her sons & on thy sons O Luvah & on mine

  Till dawn was wont to wake them then my trumpet sounding loud

  Ravishd away in night my strong comm
and shall be obeyd

  For I have placd my centinels in stations each tenth man

  Is bought & sold & in dim night my Word shall be their law

  PAGE 22

  Luvah replied Dictate to thy Equals, am not I

  The Prince of all the hosts of Men nor Equal know in Heaven

  If I arise into the Zenith leaving thee to watch

  The Emanation & her Sons the Satan & the Anak

  Sihon and Og. wilt thou not rebel to my laws remain

  In darkness building thy strong throne & in my ancient night

  Daring my power wilt arm my sons against me in the [deep] Atlantic

  My deep My night which thou assuming hast assumd my Crown

  I will remain as well as thou & here with hands of blood

  10 Smite this dark sleeper in his tent then try my strength with thee.

  While thus he spoke his fires reddend [round] oer the holy tent

  Urizen cast deep darkness round him silent brooding death

  Eternal death to Luvah. raging Luvah pourd

  The Lances of Urizen from chariots. round the holy tent

  Discord began & yells & cries shook the wide firmament

  Beside his anvil stood Urthona dark. a mass of iron

  Glowd furious on the anvil prepard for spades & coulters All

  His sons fled from his side to join the conflict pale he heard

  The Eternal voice he stood the sweat chilld on his mighty limbs

  20 He dropd his hammer, dividing from his aking bosom fled

  A portion of his life shrieking upon the wind she fled

  And Tharmas took her in pitying Then Enion in jealous fear

  Murderd her & hid her in her bosom embalming her for fear

  She should arise again to life Embalmd in Enions bosom

  Enitharmon remains a corse such thing was never known

  In Eden that one died a death never to be revivd

  Urthona stood in terror but not long his spectre fled

  To Enion & his body fell. Tharmas beheld him fall

  Endlong a raging serpent rolling round the holy tent

  30 The sons of war astonishd at the Glittring monster drove

  Him far into the world of Tharmas into a cavernd rock

  But Urizen with darkness overspreading all the armies

  Sent round his heralds secretly commanding to depart

  Into the north Sudden with thunders sound his multitudes

  Retreat from the fierce conflict all the sons of Urizen at once

  Mustring together in thick clouds leaving the rage of Luvah

  To pour its fury on himself & on the Eternal Man

  Sudden down fell they all together into an unknown Space

  Deep horrible without End. Separated from Beulah far beneath

  40 The Mans exteriors are become indefinite opend to pain

  In a fierce hungring void & none can visit his regions

  PAGE 19

  Jerusalem his Emanation [will soon] is become a ruin

  Her little ones [will be] are slain on the top of every street

  And she herself le[d] captive & scatterd into [all nations] the indefinite

  Gird on thy sword O thou most mighty in glory & majesty

  Destroy these opressors of Jerusalem & those who ruin Shiloh

  So spoke the Messengers of Beulah. Silently removing

  The Family Divine drew up the Universal tent

  Above [Mount Gilead] High Snowdon & closd the Messengers in clouds around

  Till the time of the End. Then they Elected Seven. called the Seven

  10 Eyes of God & the Seven lamps of the Almighty

  The Seven are one within the other the Seventh is named Jesus

  The Lamb of God blessed for ever & he followd the Man

  Who wanderd in mount Ephraim seeking a Sepulcher

  His inward eyes closing from the Divine vision & all

  His children wandering outside from his bosom fleeing away

  [End of The First Night]

  PAGE 20

  The Daughters of Beulah beheld the Emanation they pitied

  They wept before the Inner gates of Enitharmons bosom

  And of her fine wrought brain & of her bowels within her loins

  Three gates within Glorious & bright open into [Eternity] Beulah

  From Enitharmons inward parts but the bright female terror

  Refusd to open the bright gates she closd and barrd them fast

  Lest Los should enter into Beulah thro her beautiful gates

  The Emanation stood before the Gates of Enitharmon

  Weeping, the Daughters of Beulah silent in the Porches

  10 Spread her a couch unknown to Enitharmon here reposd

  Jerusalem in slumbers soft lulld into silent rest

  Terrific ragd the Eternal Wheels of intellect terrific ragd

  The living creatures of the wheels in the Wars of Eternal life

  But perverse rolld the wheels of Urizen & Luvah back reversd

  Downwards & outwards [tending] consuming in the wars

  of Eternal Death

  PAGE 23

  VALA

  NIGHT THE [SECOND] [FIRST/THIRD]

  Rising upon his Couch of Death Albion beheld his Sons

  Turning his Eyes outward to Self. losing the Divine Vision

  [The Man] Albion calld Urizen & said. Behold these

  sickning Spheres

  Whence is this Voice of Enion that soundeth in my [Ears] Porches

  Take thou possession! take this Scepter! go forth in my might

  For I am weary, & must sleep in the dark sleep of Death

  Thy brother Luvah hath smitten me but pity thou his youth

  Tho thou hast not pitid my Age O Urizen Prince of Light

  Urizen rose from the bright Feast like a star thro’ the evening sky

  10 Exulting at the voice that calld him from the Feast of envy

  First he beheld the body of Man pale, cold, the horrors of death

  Beneath his feet shot thro’ him as he stood in the Human Brain

  And all its golden porches grew pale with his sickening light

  No more Exulting for he saw Eternal Death beneath

  Pale he beheld futurity; pale he beheld the Abyss

  Where Enion blind & age bent wept in direful hunger craving

  All rav’ning like the hungry worm, & like the silent grave

  PAGE 24

  Mighty was the draught of Voidness to draw Existence in

  Terrific Urizen strode above, in fear & pale dismay

  He saw the indefinite space beneath & his soul shrunk with horror

  His feet upon the verge of Non Existence; his voice went forth

  Luvah & Vala trembling & shrinking, beheld the great Work master

  And heard his Word! Divide ye bands influence by influence

  Build we a Bower for heavens darling in the grizly deep

  Build we the Mundane Shell around the Rock of Albion

  The Bands of Heaven flew thro the air singing & shouting to Urizen

  10 Some fix’d the anvil, some the loom erected, some the plow

  And harrow formd & framd the harness of silver & ivory

  The golden compasses, the quadrant & the rule & balance

  They erected the furnaces, they formd the anvils of gold beaten in mills

  Where winter beats incessant, fixing them firm on their base

  The bellows began to blow & the Lions of Urizen stood round the anvil

  PAGE 25

  And the leopards coverd with skins of beasts tended the roaring fires

  Sublime distinct their lineaments divine of human beauty

  The tygers of wrath called the horses of instruction from their mangers

  They unloos’d them & put on the harness of gold & silver & ivory

  In human forms distinct they stood round Urizen prince of Light

  Petrifying all the Human Imagination into rock & sand

  Groans ran along Tyburn
s brook and along the River of Oxford

  Among the Druid Temples. Albion groand on Tyburns brook

  Albion gave his loud death groan The Atlantic Mountains trembled

  10 Aloft the Moon fled with a cry the Sun with streams of blood

  From Albions Loins fled all Peoples and Nations of the Earth [Fled]

  Fled with the noise of Slaughter & the stars of heaven Fled

  Jerusalem came down in a dire ruin over all the Earth

  She fell cold from Lambeths Vales in groans & Dewy death

  The dew of anxious souls the death-sweat of the dying

  In every pillard hall & arched roof of Albions skies

  The brother & the brother bathe in blood upon the Severn

  The Maiden weeping by. The father & the mother with

  The Maidens father & her mother fainting over the body

  20 And the Young Man the Murderer fleeing over the mountains

  Reuben slept on Penmaenmawr & Levi slept on Snowdon

  Their eyes their ears nostrils & tongues roll outward they behold

  What is within now seen without they are raw to the hungry wind

  They become Nations far remote in a little & dark Land

  The Daughters of Albion girded around their garments of Needlework

  Stripping Jerusalems curtains from mild demons of the hills

  Across Europe & Asia to China & Japan like lightenings

  They go forth & return to Albion on his rocky couch

  Gwendolen Ragan Sabrina Gonorill Mehetabel Cordella

  30 Boadicea Conwenna Estrild Gwinefrid Ignoge Cambel

  Binding Jerusalems Children in the dungeons of Babylon

  They play before the Armies before the hounds of Nimrod

  While The Prince of Light on Salisbury plain among the druid stones

  Rattling the adamantine chains & hooks heave up the orc

  In mountainous masses, plung’d in furnaces, & they shut & seald

  The furnaces a time & times; all the while blew the North

  His cloudy bellows & the South & East & dismal West

  And all the while the plow of iron cut the dreadful furrows

  In Ulro beneath Beulah where the Dead wail Night & Day

  40 Luvah was cast into the Furnaces of affliction & sealed

  And Vala fed in cruel delight, the furnaces with fire

  Stern Urizen beheld urg’d by necessity to keep

  The evil day afar, & if perchance with iron power

  He might avert his own despair; in woe & fear he saw

  PAGE 26

  Vala incircle round the furnaces where Luvah was clos’d

  In joy she heard his howlings, & forgot he was her Luvah

  With whom she walkd in bliss, in times of innocence & youth