Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE FOUR ZOAS: NIGHTS THE FIFTH AND SIXTH, by WILLIAM BLAKE Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Infected mad he danced on his mountains high & dark as heaven Last Line: In their progressions & preparing urizens path before him Subject(s): Bible; Hate; Imagination; Mythology; Vision; Winter; Fancy | ||||||||
VALA 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 dreary Earth Felt her immortal limbs freeze stiffning pale inflexible His feet shrink 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 The night blew cold & Enitharmon shriekd on the dismal wind 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 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 The horrid trumpets of the deep bellowd with bitter blasts The Enormous Demons woke & howld around the 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 firmament Where is Sweet Vala gloomy prophet where the lovely form That drew the body of Man from heaven into this dark AbyssÔ 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 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 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 Then rage on rage shall fierce redound out of her crystal quiver So sung the Demons 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 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 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 Depending from the bosom of Los & how with 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 accursed chain O how bright Enitharmon howld & cried Over her son. Obdurate Los bound down her loved joy 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 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 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 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 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 starsÔ Springs Flow into rivers of delight. there the spontaneous flowers Drink laugh & sing. the grasshopper the Emmet & the Fly The golden Moth builds there a house & spreads her silken bed 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 Felt all the sorrow Parents feel. they wept toward one another And Los repented that he bad 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 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 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 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 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 deadly pain Within her heart Vala began to reanimate in bursting sobs And when the Gate was open she beheld that 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 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 The gardens of wisdom are become a field of horrid graves And on the bones I drop my tears & water them in vain 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 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 to cries of Lamentation 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 envyings & hate O Fool to think that I could hide from his all piercing eyes The gold & silver & costly stones his holy workmanship O Fool could I forget the light that filled my bright spheres Was a reflection of his face who calld me from the deep I well remember for I heard the mild & holy voice Saying O light spring up & shine & I sprang up from the deep He gave to me a silver scepter & crownd me with a golden crown & said Go forth & guide my Son who wanders on the ocean I went not forth. I hid myself in black clouds of my wrath I calld the stars around my feet in the night of councils dark The stars threw down their spears & fled naked away We fell. I siezd thee dark Urthona In my left hand falling I siezd thee beauteous Luvah thou art faded like a flower And like a lilly is thy wife Vala witherd by winds When thou didst bear the golden cup at the immortal tables Thy children smote their fiery wings crownd with the gold of heaven Thy pure feet stepd on the steps divine. too pure for other feet And thy fair locks shadowd thine eyes from the divine effulgence Then thou didst keep with Strong Urthona the living gates of heaven But now thou art bound down with him even to the gates of hell Because thou gavest Urizen the wine of the Almighty For steeds of Light that they might run in thy golden chariot of pride I gave to thee the Steeds I pourd the stolen wine And drunken with the immortal draught fell from my throne sublime I will arise Explore these dens & find that deep pulsation That shakes my caverns with strong shudders. perhaps this is the night Of Prophecy & Luvah hath burst his way from Enitharmon When Thought is closd in Caves. Then love shall shew its root in deepest Hell VALA Night the Sixth So Urizen arose & leaning on his Spear explord his dens He threw his flight thro the dark air to where a river flowd And taking off his silver helmet filled it & drank But when Unsatiated his thirst he assayd to gather more Lo three terrific women at the verge of the bright flood Who would not suffer him to approach. but drove him back with storms Urizen knew them not & thus addressd the spirits of darkness Who art thou Eldest Woman sitting in thy clouds What is that name written on thy forehead? what art thou? And wherefore dost thou pour this water forth in sighs & care She answerd not but filld her urn & pourd it forth abroad Answerest thou not said Urizen. then thou maist answer me Thou terrible woman clad in blue, whose strong attractive power Draws all into a fountain at the rock of thy attraction With frowning brow thou sittest mistress of these mighty waters She answerd not but stretchd her arms & threw her limbs abroad Or wilt thou answer youngest Woman clad in shining green With labour & care thou dost divide the current into four Queen of these dreadful rivers speak & let me hear thy voice They reard up a wall of rocks and Urizen raisd his spear. They gave a scream, they knew their father Urizen knew his daughters They shrunk into their channels. dry the rocky strand beneath his feet Hiding themselves in rocky forms from the Eyes of Urizen Then Urizen wept & thus his lamentation poured forth O horrible O dreadful state! those whom I loved best On whom I pourd the beauties of my light adorning them With jewels & precious ornament labourd with art divine Vests of the radiant colours of heaven & crowns of golden fire I gave sweet lillies to their breasts & roses to their hair I taught them songs of sweet delight, I gave their tender voices Into the blue expanse & I invented with laborious art Sweet instruments of sound. in pride encompassing my Knees They pourd their radiance above all. the daughters of Luvah Envied At their exceeding brightness & the sons of eternity sent them gifts Now will I pour my fury on them & I will reverse The precious benediction. for their colours of loveliness I will give blackness for jewels hoary frost for ornament deformity For crowns wreathd Serpents for sweet odors stinking corruptibility For voices of delight hoarse croakings inarticulate thro frost For labourd fatherly care & sweet instruction. I will give Chains of dark ignorance & cords of twisted self conceit And whips of stern repentance & food of stubborn obstinacy That they may curse Tharmas their God & Los his adopted son That they may curse & worship the obscure Demon of destruction That they may worship terrors & obey the violent Go forth sons of my curse Go forth daughters of my abhorrence Tharmas heard the deadly scream across his watry world And Urizens loud sounding voice lamenting on the wind And he came riding in his fury. froze to solid were his waves Silent in ridges he beheld them stand round Urizen A dreary waste of solid waters for the King of Light Darkend his brows with his cold helmet & his gloomy spear Darkend before him. Silent on the ridgy waves he took His gloomy way before him Tharmas fled & flying fought Crying. What & who art thou Cold Demon. art thou Urizen Art thou like me risen again from death or art thou deathless If thou art he my desperate purpose hear & give me death For death to me is better far than life. death my desire That I in vain in various paths have sought but still I live The Body of Man is given to me I seek in vain to destroy For still it surges forth in fish & monsters of the deeps And in these monstrous forms I Live in an Eternal woe And thou O Urizen art falln never to be deliverd Withhold thy light from me for ever & I will withhold From thee thy food so shall we cease to be & all our sorrows End & the Eternal Man no more renew beneath our power If thou refusest in eternal flight thy beams in vain Shall pursue Tharmas & in vain shalt crave for food I will Pour down my flight thro dark immensity Eternal falling Thou shalt pursue me but in vain till starvd upon the void Thou hangst a dried skin shrunk up weak wailing in the wind So Tharmas spoke but Urizen replied not. On his way He took. high bounding over hills & desarts floods & horrible chasms Infinite was his labour without end his travel he strove In vain for hideous monsters of the deeps annoyd him sore Scaled & finnd with iron & brass they devourd the path before him Incessant was the conflict. On he bent his weary steps Making a path toward the dark world of Urthona. he rose With pain upon the dreary mountains & with pain descended And saw their grizly fears & his eyes sickend at the sight The howlings gnashings groanings shriekings shudderings sobbings burstings Mingle together to create a world for Los. In cruel delight Los brooded on the darkness. nor saw Urizen with a Globe of fire Lighting his dismal journey thro the pathless world of death Writing in bitter tears & groans in books of iron & brass The enormous wonders of the Abysses once his brightest joy For Urizen beheld the terrors of the Abyss wandring among The ruind spirits once his children & the children of Luvah Scard at the sound of their own sigh that seems to shake the immense They wander Moping in their heart a Sun a Dreary moon A Universe of fiery constellations in their brain An Earth of wintry woe beneath their feet & round their loins Waters or winds or clouds or brooding lightnings & pestilential plagues Beyond the bounds of their own self their senses cannot penetrate As the tree knows not what is outside of its leaves & bark And yet it drinks the summer joy & fears the winter sorrow So in the regions of the grave none knows his dark compeer Tho he partakes of his dire woes & mutual returns the pang The throb the dolor the convulsion in soul sickening woes The horrid shapes & sights of torment in burning dungeons & in Fetters of red hot iron some with crowns of serpents & some With monsters girding round their bosoms, Some lying on beds of sulphur On racks & wheels he beheld women marching oer burning wastes Of Sand in bands of hundreds & of fifties & of thousands strucken with Lightnings which blazed after them upon their shoulders in their march In successive vollies with loud thunders swift flew the King of Light Over the burning desarts Then the desarts passd. involvd in clouds Of smoke with myriads moping in the stifling vapours. Swift Flew the King tho flagd his powers labring. till over rocks And Mountains faint weary he wanderd. where multitudes were shut Up in the solid mountains & in rocks which heaved with their torments Then came he among fiery cities & castles built of burning steel Then he beheld the forms of tygers & of Lions dishumanizd men Many in serpents & in worms stretchd out enormous length Over the sullen mould & slimy tracks obstruct his way Drawn out from deep to deep woven by ribbd And scaled monsters or armd in iron shell or shell of brass Or gold a glittering torment shining & hissing in eternal pain Some as columns of fire or of water sometimes stretchd out in heighth Sometimes in length sometimes englobing wandering in vain seeking for ease His voice to them was but an inarticulate thunder for their Ears Were heavy & dull & their eyes & nostrils closed up Oft he stood by a howling victim Questioning in words Soothing or Furious no one answerd every one wrapd up In his own sorrow howld regardless of his words, nor voice Of sweet response could he obtain tho oft assayd with tears He knew they were his Children ruind in his ruind world Oft would he stand & question a fierce scorpion glowing with gold In vain the terror heard not. then a lion he would Sieze By the fierce mane staying his howling course in vain the voice Of Urizen vain the Eloquent tongue. A Rock a Cloud a Mountain Were now not Vocal as in Climes of happy Eternity Where the lamb replies to the infant voice & the lion to the man of years Giving them sweet instructions Where the Cloud the River & the Field Talk with the husbandman & shepherd. But these attackd him sore Siezing upon his feet & rending the Sinews that in Caves He hid to recure his obstructed powers with rest & oblivion Here he had time enough to repent of his rashly threatend curse He saw them cursd beyond his Curse his soul melted with fear He could not take their fetters off for they grew from the soul Nor could he quench the fires for they flamd out from the heart Nor could he calm the Elements because himself was Subject So he threw his flight in terror & pain & in repentant tears When he had passd these southern terrors he approachd the East Void pathless beaten With iron sleet & eternal hail & rain No form was there no living thing & yet his way lay thro This dismal world. he stood a while & lookd back oer his former Terrific voyage. Hills & Vales of torment & despair Sighing & Wiping a fresh tear. then turning round he threw Himself into the dismal void. falling he fell & fell Whirling in unresistible revolutions down & down In the horrid bottomless vacuity falling failing falling Into the Eastern vacuity the empty world of Luvah The ever pitying one who seeth all things saw his fall And in the dark vacuity created a bosom of clay When wearied dead he fell his limbs reposd in the bosom of slime As the seed falls from the sowers hand so Urizen fell & death Shut up his powers in oblivion. then as the seed shoots forth In pain & sorrow. So the slimy bed his limbs renewd At first an infant weakness. periods passd he gatherd strength But still in solitude he sat then rising threw his flight Onward tho falling thro the waste of night & ending in death And in another resurrection to sorrow & weary travel But still his books he bore in his strong hands & his iron pen For when he died they lay beside his grave & when he rose He siezd them with a gloomy smile for wrapd in his death clothes He hid them when he slept in death when he revivd the clothes Were rotted by the winds the books remaind still unconsumd Still to be written & interleavd with brass & iron & gold Time after time for such a journey none but iron pens Can write And adamantine leaves receive nor can the man who goes The journey obstinate refuse to write time after time Endless had been his travel but the Divine hand him led For infinite the distance & obscurd by Combustions dire By rocky masses frowning in the abysses revolving erratic Round Lakes of fire in the dark deep the ruins of Urizens world Oft would he sit in a dark rift & regulate his books Or sleep such sleep as spirits eternal wearied in his dark Tearful & sorrowful state. then rise look out & ponder His dismal voyage eyeing the next sphere tho far remote Then darting into the Abyss of night his venturous limbs Thro lightnings thunders earthquakes & concussions fires & floods Stemming his downward fall labouring up against futurity Creating many a Vortex fixing many a Science in the deep And thence throwing his venturous limbs into the Vast unknown Swift Swift from Chaos to chaos from void to void a road immense For when he came to where a Vortex ceasd to operate Nor down nor up remaind then if he turnd & lookd back From whence he came twas upward all. & if he turnd and viewd The unpassd void upward was still his mighty wandring The midst between an Equilibrium grey of air serene Where he might live in peace & where his life might meet repose But Urizen said Can I not leave this world of Cumbrous wheels Circle oer Circle nor on high attain a void Where self sustaining I may view all things beneath my feet Or sinking thro these Elemental wonders swift to fall I thought perhaps to find an End a world beneath of voidness Whence I might travel round the outside of this Dark confusion When I bend downward bending my bead downward into the deep Tis upward all which way soever I my course begin But when A Vortex formd on high by labour & sorrow & care And weariness begins on all my limbs then sleep revives My wearied spirits waking then tis downward all which way So ever I my spirits turn no end I find of all O what a world is here unlike those climes of bliss Where my sons gatherd round my knees O thou poor ruind world Thou horrible ruin once like me thou wast all glorious And now like me partaking desolate thy masters lot Art thou O ruin the once glorious heaven are these thy rocks Where joy sang in the trees & pleasure sported on the rivers And laughter sat beneath the Oaks & innocence sported round Upon the green plains & sweet friendship met in palaces And books & instruments of song & pictures of delight Where are they whelmd beneath these ruins in horrible destruction And if Eternal falling I repose on the dark bosom Of winds & waters or thence fall into a Void where air Is not down falling thro immensity ever & ever I lose my powers weakend every revolution till a death Shuts up my powers then a seed in the vast womb of darkness I dwell in dim oblivion. brooding over me the Enormous worlds Reorganize me shooting forth in bones & flesh & blood I am regenerated to fall or rise at will or to remain A labourer of ages a dire discontent a living woe Wandring in vain. Here will I fix my foot & here rebuild Here Mountains of Brass promise much riches in their dreadful bosoms So he began to dig forming of gold silver & iron And brass vast instruments to measure out the immense & fix The whole into another world better suited to obey His will where none should dare oppose his will himself being King Of All & all futurity be bound in his vast chain And the Sciences were fixd & the Vortexes began to operate On all the sons of men & every human soul terrified At the turning wheels of heaven shrunk away inward withring away Gaining a New Dominion over all his sons & Daughters & over the Sons & daughters of Luvah in the horrible Abyss For Urizen lamented over them in a selfish lamentation Till a white woof coverd his cold limbs from head to feet Hair white as snow coverd him in flaky locks terrific Overspreading his limbs. in pride he wanderd weeping Clothed in aged venerableness obstinately resolvd Travelling thro darkness & whereever he traveld a dire Web Followd behind him as the Web of a Spider dusky & cold Shivering across from Vortex to Vortex drawn out from his mantle of years A living Mantle adjoind to his life & growing from his Soul And the Web of Urizen stre chd direful shivring in clouds And uttering such woes such bursts such thunderings The eyelids expansive as morning & the Ears As a golden ascent winding round to the heavens of heavens Within the dark horrors of the Abysses lion or tyger or scorpion For every one opend within into Eternity at will But they refusd because their outward forms were in the Abyss And the wing like tent of the Universe beautiful surrounding all Or drawn up or let down at the will of the immortal man Vibrated in such anguish the eyelids quiverd Weak & Weaker their expansive orbs began shrinking Pangs smote thro the brain & a universal shriek Ran thro the Abysses rending the web torment on torment Thus Urizen in sorrows wanderd many a dreary way Warring with monsters of the Deeps in his most hideous pilgrimage Till his bright hair scatterd in snows his skin barkd oer with wrinkles Four Caverns rooting downwards their foundations thrusting forth The metal rock & stone in ever painful throes of vegetation The Cave of Orc stood to the South a furnace of dire flames Quenchless unceasing. In the west the Cave of Urizen For Urizen fell as the Midday sun falls down into the West North stood Urthonas stedfast throne a World of Solid darkness Shut up in stifling obstruction rooted in dumb despair The East was Void. But Tharmas rolld his billows in ceaseless eddies Void pathless beat with Snows eternal & iron hail & rain All thro the caverns of fire & air & Earth, Seeking For Enions limbs nought finding but the black sea weed & sickning slime Flying away from Urizen that he might not give him food Above beneath on all sides round in the vast deep of immensity That he might starve the sons & daughters of Urizen on the winds Making between horrible chasms into the vast unknown All these around the world of Los cast forth their monstrous births But in Eternal times the Seat of Urizen is in the South Urthona in the North Luvah in East Tharmas in West And now he came into the Abhorred world of Dark Urthona By Providence divine conducted not bent from his own will Lest death Eternal should be the result for the Will cannot be violated Into the doleful vales where no tree grew nor river flowd Nor man nor beast nor creeping thing nor sun nor cloud nor star Still he with his globe of fire immense in his venturous hand Bore on thro the Affrighted vales ascending & descending Oerwearied or in cumbrous flight he venturd oer dark rifts Or down dark precipices or climbd with pain and labour huge Till he beheld the world of Los from the Peaked rock of Urthona And heard the howling of red Orc distincter & distincter Redoubling his immortal efforts thro the narrow vales With difficulty down descending guided by his Ear And by his globe of fire he went down the Vale of Urthona Between the enormous iron walls built by the Spectre dark Dark grew his globe reddning with mists & full before his path Striding across the narrow vale the Shadow of Urthona A spectre Vast appeard whose feet & legs with iron scaled Stampd the hard rocks expectant of the unknown wanderer Whom he had seen wandring his nether world when distant far And watchd his swift approach collected dark the Spectre stood Beside him Tharmas stayd his flight & stood in stern defiance Communing with the Spectre who rejoicd along the vale Round his loins a girdle glowd with many colourd fires In his hand a knotted Club whose knots like mountains frownd Desart among the Stars them withering with its ridges cold Black scales of iron arm the dread visage iron spikes instead Of hair shoot from his orbed scull. his glowing eyes Burn like two furnaces. he calld with Voice of Thunder Four winged heralds mount the furious blasts & blow their trumps Gold Silver Brass & iron clangors clamoring rend the shores Like white clouds rising from the Vales his fifty two armies From the four Cliffs of Urthona rise glowing around the Spectre Four sons of Urizen the Squadrons of Urthona led in arms Of gold & silver brass & iron he knew his mighty sons Then Urizen arose upon the wind back many a mile Retiring into his dire Web scattering fleecy snows As he ascended howling loud the Web vibrated strong From heaven to heaven from globe to globe. In vast excentric paths Compulsive rolld the Comets at his dread command the dreary way Falling with wheel impetuous down among Urthonas vales And round red Orc returning back to Urizen gorgd with blood Slow roll the massy Globes at his command & slow oerwheel The dismal squadrons of Urthona. weaving the dire Web In their progressions & preparing Urizens path before him | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE IMAGINED COPPERHEAD by ANDREW HUDGINS A SICK CHILD by RANDALL JARRELL IMAGINARY TROUBLE by JOHN KENDRICK BANGS EVERYTHING THAT ACTS IS ACTUAL by DENISE LEVERTOV ON THE MEETING OF GARCIA LORCA AND HART CRANE by PHILIP LEVINE A CRADLE SONG by WILLIAM BLAKE |
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