Classic and Contemporary Poetry
MAD BLAKE, by WILLIAM ROSE BENET Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Blake saw a treeful of angels at peckham rye Last Line: Of songs that was sung to the soul of the madman, blake! Subject(s): Blake, William (1757-1827) | ||||||||
Blake saw a treeful of angels at Peckham Rye, And his hands could lay hold on the tiger's terrible heart. Blake knew how deep is Hell, and Heaven how high, And could build the universe from one tiny part. Blake heard the asides of God, as with furrowed brow He sifts the star-streams between the Then and the Now, In vast infant sagacity brooding, an infant's grace Shining serene on his simple, benignant face. Blake was mad, they say, -- and Space's Pandora-box Loosed its wonders upon him -- devils, but angels indeed. I, they say, am sane, but no key of mine unlocks One lock of one gate where through Heaven's glory is freed. And I stand and I hold my breath, daylong, yearlong, Out of comfort and easy dreaming evermore starting awake, -- Yearning beyond all sanity for some echo of that Song Of Songs that was sung to the soul of the madman, Blake! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...MY FATHER'S FACE by HAYDEN CARRUTH NOVEMBER 23, 1989; AFTER BLAKE by NORMAN DUBIE IN THE OCTAGONAL ROOM by ANSELM HOLLO ARTIFACT: FIRST OF ALL, SEA; AND HALF OF THE SEA IS TRUTH, HALF WIND by ELENI SIKELIANOS TWO DICTA OF WILLIAM BLAKE: VARIATIONS by ROBERT DUNCAN THE FALCONER OF GOD by WILLIAM ROSE BENET |
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