At the first Sound the Golden sun arises from the Deep
And shakes his awful hair
60 The Eccho wakes the moon to unbind her silver locks
The golden sun bears on my song
And nine bright spheres of harmony rise round the fiery King
The joy of woman is the Death of her most best beloved
Who dies for Love of her
In torments of fierce jealousy & pangs of adoration
The Lovers night bears on my song
And the nine Spheres rejoice beneath my powerful controll
They sing unceasing to the notes of my immortal hand
The solemn silent moon
70 Reverberates the living harmony upon my limbs
The birds & beasts rejoice & play
And every one seeks for his mate to prove his inmost joy
Furious & terrible they sport & rend the nether deeps
The deep lifts up his rugged head
And lost in infinite hum[m]ing wings vanishes with a cry
The fading cry is ever dying
The living voice is ever living in its inmost joy
Arise you little glancing wings & sing your infant joy
Arise & drink your bliss
80 For every thing that lives is holy for the source of life
Descends to be a weeping babe
For the Earthworm renews the moisture of the sandy plain
Now my left hand I stretch to earth beneath
And strike the terrible string
I wake sweet joy in dens of sorrow & I plant a smile
In forests of affliction
And wake the bubbling springs of life in regions of dark death
O I am weary lay thine hand upon me or I faint
I faint beneath these beams of thine
90 For thou hast touchd my five senses & they answerd thee
Now I am nothing & I sink
And on the bed of silence sleep till thou awakest me
Thus sang the Lovely one in Rapturous delusive trance
Los heard [delighted] reviving he siezd her in his arms
delusive hopes
Kindling She led him into Shadows & thence fled outstretchd
Upon the immense like a bright rainbow weeping &
smiling & fading
Thus livd Los driving Enion far into the deathful infinite
That he may also draw Ahania’s spirit into her Vortex
Ah happy blindness [she] Enion sees not the terrors of the uncertain
100 Thus Enion wails from the dark deep, the golden heavens tremble
PAGE 35
I am made to sow the thistle for wheat; the nettle for a
nourishing dainty
I have planted a false oath in the earth, it has brought
forth a poison tree
I have chosen the serpent for a councellor & the dog
For a schoolmaster to my children
I have blotted out from light & living the dove & nightingale
And I have caused the earth worm to beg from door to door
I have taught the thief a secret path into the house of the just
I have taught pale artifice to spread his nets upon the morning
My heavens are brass my earth is iron my moon a clod of clay
10 My sun a pestilence burning at noon & a vapour of death in night
What is the price of Experience do men buy it for a song
Or wisdom for a dance in the street? No it is bought with the price
Of all that a man hath his house his wife his children
Wisdom is sold in the desolate market where none come to buy
And in the witherd field where the farmer plows for bread in vain
It is an easy thing to triumph in the summers sun
And in the vintage & to sing on the waggon loaded with corn
It is an easy thing to talk of patience to the afflicted
To speak the laws of prudence to the houseless wanderer
PAGE 36
To listen to the hungry ravens cry in wintry season
When the red blood is filld with wine & with the marrow of lambs
It is an easy thing to laugh at wrathful elements
To hear the dog howl at the wintry door, the ox in the slaughter house moan
To see a god on every wind & a blessing on every blast
To hear sounds of love in the thunder storm that destroys our enemies house
To rejoice in the blight that covers his field, & thesickness that cuts off his children
While our olive & vine sing & laugh round our door &our children bring fruits & flowers
Then the groan & the dolor are quite forgotten & theslave grinding at the mill
10 And the captive in chains & the poor in the prison, & the soldier in the field
When the shatterd bone hath laid him groaning among the happier dead
It is an easy thing to rejoice in the tents of prosperity
Thus could I sing & thus rejoice, but it is not so with me!
[End of the Second Night]
Ahania heard the Lamentation & a swift Vibration
Spread thro her Golden frame. She rose up eer the dawn of day
When Urizen slept on his couch. drawn thro unbounded space
Onto the margin of Non Entity the bright Female came
There she beheld the [terrible] Spectrous form of Enion in the Void
And never from that moment could she rest upon her pillow
End of the Second Night
PAGE 37
VALA
NIGHT THE [? First?Third] THIRD
Now sat the King of Light on high upon his starry throne
And bright Ahania bow’d herself before his splendid feet
O Urizen look on [thy wife that] Me. like a
mournful stream
I Embrace[s] round thy knees & wet[s her] My bright
hair with [her] My tears.
Why sighs my Lord! are not the morning stars thy
obedient Sons
Do they not bow their bright heads at thy voice? at thy
command
Do they not fly into their stations & return their light to thee
The immortal Atmospheres are thine, there thou art seen in glory
Surrounded by the ever changing Daughters of the Light
10 [Thou sitst in harmony for God hath set thee over all]
Why wilt thou look upon futurity darkning present joy
She ceas’d the Prince his light obscurd & the splendors of his crown
PAGE 38
Infolded in thick clouds, from whence his mighty voice burst forth
O bright [Ahania/shadow] a Boy is born of the dark Ocean
Whom Urizen doth serve, with Light replenishing his darkness
I am set here a King of trouble commanded here to serve
And do my ministry to those who eat of my wide table
All this is mine yet I must serve & that Prophetic boy
Must grow up to command his Prince [& all my Kingly
power] but hear my determind Decree
[But] Vala shall become a Worm in Enitharmons Womb
Laying her seed upon the fibres soon to issue forth
10 And Luvah in the loins of Los a dark & furious death
Alas for me! what will become of me at that dread time?
Ahania bow’d her head & wept seven days before the King
And on the eighth day when his clouds unfolded from his throne
She rais’d her bright head sweet perfumd & thus with heavenly voice
O Prince the Eternal One hath set thee leader of his hosts
PAGE 39
[Raise then thy radiant eyes to him raise thy obedient hands
And comforts shall descend from heaven into thy
darkning clouds]
Leave all futurity to him resume thy fields of Light
Why didst thou listen to the voice of Luvah that dread morn
To give the immor
tal steeds of light to his deceitful hands
No longer now obedient to thy will thou art compell’d
To forge the curbs of iron & brass to build the iron mangers
To feed them with intoxication from the wine presses of Luvah
Till the Divine Vision & Fruition is quite obliterated
10 They call thy lions to the fields of blood, they rowze thy tygers
Out of the halls of justice, till these dens thy wisdom framd
Golden & beautiful but O how unlike those sweet fields of bliss
Where liberty was justice & eternal science was mercy
Then O my dear lord listen to Ahania, listen to the vision
The vision of Ahania in the slumbers of Urizen
When Urizen slept in the porch & the [Eternal] Ancient
Man was smitten
The [Eternal/Fallen] Darkning Man walkd on the steps
of fire before his halls
And Vala walkd with him in dreams of soft deluding
slumber
He looked up & saw [the] thee Prince of Light [with] thy splendor faded
20 [But saw not Los nor Enitharmon for Luvah hid them in shadow]
PAGE 40
[of] [In a soft cloud Outstretch’d across, & Luvah dwelt in the cloud]
Then Man ascended mourning into the splendors of his palace
Above him rose a Shadow from his wearied intellect
Of living gold, pure, perfect, holy; in white linen pure he hover’d
A sweet entrancing self delusion, a watry vision of Man
Soft exulting in existence all the Man absorbing
Man fell upon his face prostrate before the watry shadow
Saying O Lord whence is this change thou knowest I am
nothing
And Vala trembled & coverd her face, & her locks.
were spread on the pavement
10 I heard astonishd at the Vision & my heart trembled
within me
I heard the voice of the Slumberous Man & thus he spoke
Idolatrous to his own Shadow words of Eternity uttering
O I am nothing when I enter into judgment with thee
If thou withdraw thy breath I die & vanish into Hades
If thou dost lay thine hand upon me behold I am silent
If thou withhold thine hand I perish like a fallen leaf
O I am nothing & to nothing must return again
If thou withdraw thy breath, behold I am oblivion
He ceasd: the shadowy voice was silent; but the cloud hoverd over their heads
PAGE 41
In golden wreathes, the sorrow of Man & the balmy
drops fell down
And Lo that Son of Man, that shadowy Spirit of the
[Eternal] Fallen One/Albion
Luvah, descended from the cloud; [The Eternal Man arose]
In terror Albion rose
Indignant rose the [Eternal/Fallen] Awful Man &
turnd his back on Vala
Why roll thy clouds in sick’ning mists. I can no longer hide
The dismal vision of mine Eyes, O love & life & light!
Prophetic dreads urge me to speak. futurity is before me
Like a dark lamp. Eternal death haunts all my expectation
Rent from Eternal Brotherhood we die & are no more
10 I heard the Voice of the [Eternal/Falln One] Albion
starting from his sleep
Whence is this voice crying Enion that soundeth in my ears
O cruel pity! O dark deceit! can Love seek for dominion
And Luvah strove to gain dominion over the [Eternal]
Ancient Man/Mighty Albion
They strove together above the Body where Vala was inclos’d
And the dark body of [Man] Albion left prostrate upon
the crystal pavement
Coverd with boils from head to foot. the terrible smitings of Luvah
Then frownd the [Eternal] Fallen Man/Albion & put
forth Luvah from his presence
(I heard him: frown not Urizen: but listen to my Vision)
PAGE 42
Saying, Go & die the Death of Man for Vala the sweet wanderer
I will turn the volutions of your Ears outward; & bend your Nostrils
Downward; & your fluxile Eyes englob’d, roll round in fear
Your withring Lips & Tongue shrink up into a narrow circle
Till into narrow forms you creep. Go take your fiery way
And learn what ’tis to absorb the Man you Spirits of Pity & Love
O Urizen why art thou pale at the visions of Ahania
Listen to her who loves thee lest we also are driven away.
They heard the Voice & fled swift as the winters setting sun
10 And now the Human Blood foamd high, I saw that Luvah & Vala
Went down the Human Heart where Paradise & its joys abounded
In jealous fears in fury & rage, & flames roll’d round their fervid feet
And the vast form of Nature like a Serpent play’d before them
And as they went in folding fires & thunders of the deep
Vala shrunk in like the dark sea that leaves its slimy banks
And from her bosom Luvah fell far as the east & west
And the vast form of Nature like a Serpent roll’d between.
Whether this is Jerusalem or Babylon we know not.
All is Confusion All is tumult & we alone are escaped
20 She ended. for his wrathful throne burst forth the black hail storm
Am I not God said Urizen. Who is Equal to me
Do I not stretch the heavens abroad or fold them up like a garment
He spoke mustering his heavy clouds around him black opake
PAGE 43
Then thunders rolld around & lightnings darted to & fro
His visage changd to darkness & his strong right hand came forth
To cast Ahania to the Earth he siezd her by the hair
And threw her from the steps of ice that froze around his throne
Saying Art thou also become like Vala. thus I cast thee out
Shall the feminine indolent bliss. the indulgent self of weariness
The passive idle sleep the enormous night & darkness of Death
Set herself up to give her laws to the active masculine virtue
Thou little diminutive portion that darst be a counterpart
10 Thy passivity thy laws of obedience & insincerity
Are my abhorrence. Wherefore hast thou taken that fair form
Whence is this power given to thee! once thou wast in my breast
A sluggish current of dim waters on whose verdant margin
A cavern shaggd with horrid shades. dark cool & deadly. where
I laid my head in the hot noon after the broken clods
Had wearied me. there I laid my plow & there my horses fed
And thou hast risen with thy moist locks into a watry image
Reflecting all my indolence my weakness & my death
To weigh me down beneath the grave into non Entity
20 Where Luvah strives scorned by Vala age after age wandering
Shrinking & shrinking from her Lord & calling him the Tempter
And art thou also become like Vala thus I cast thee out.
So loud in thunders spoke the King folded in dark despair
And threw Ahania from his bosom obdurate She fell like lightning
Then fled the sons of Urizen from his thunderous throne petrific
They fled to East & West & left the North & South of Heaven
A crash ran thro the immense The bounds of Destiny were broken
The bounds of Destiny crashd direful & the swelling Sea
Burst from its bonds in whirlpools fierce roaring with Human voice
30 Triumphing even to the Stars at bright Ahanias fall
Down from the dismal North the Prince in thunders & thick clouds
PAGE 44
As when the thunderbolt do
wn falleth on the appointed place
Fell down down rushing ruining thundering [darkning] shuddering
Into the Caverns of the Grave & places of Human Seed
Where the impressions of Despair & Hope enroot forever
A world of Darkness. Ahania fell far into Non Entity
She Continued falling. Loud the Crash continud loud & Hoarse
From the Crash roared a flame of blue sulphureous fire from the flame
A dolorous groan that struck with dumbness all confusion
Swallowing up the horrible din in agony on agony
10 Thro the Confusion like a crack across from immense
to immense
Loud strong a universal groan of death louder
Than all the wracking elements deafend & rended worse
Than Urizen & all his hosts in curst despair down rushing
But from the Dolorous Groan one like a shadow of smoke appeard
And human bones rattling together in the smoke & stamping
The nether Abyss & gnasshing in fierce despair. panting in sobs
Thick short incessant bursting sobbing. deep despairing
stamping struggling
Struggling to utter the voice of Man struggling to take
the features of Man. Struggling
To take the limbs of Man at length emerging from the smoke
20 Of Urizen dashed in pieces from his precipitant fall
Tharmas reard up his hands & stood on the affrighted Ocean
The dead reard up his Voice & stood on the resounding shore
Crying. Fury in my limbs. destruction in my bones & marrow
My skull riven into filaments. my eyes into sea jellies
Floating upon the tide wander bubbling & bubbling
Uttering my lamentations & begetting little monsters
Who sit mocking upon the little pebbles of the tide
In all my rivers & on dried shells that the fish
PAGE 45
Have quite forsaken. O fool fool to lose my sweetest bliss
Where art thou Enion ah too near to cunning too far off
And yet too near. Dashd down I send thee into distant darkness
Far as my strength can hurl thee wander there & laugh & play
Among the frozen arrows they will tear thy tender flesh
Fall off afar from Tharmas come not too near my strong fury
Scream & fall off & laugh at Tharmas lovely summer beauty
Till winter rends thee into Shivers as thou hast rended me
So Tharmas bellowd oer the ocean thundring sobbing bursting
10 The bounds of Destiny were broken & hatred now began
Instead of love to Enion. Enion blind & age bent
Plungd into the cold billows living a life in midst of waters
In terrors she witherd away to Entuthon Benithon
The Complete Poems Page 26
