The Poetry and Prose of William Blake Edited by David V. Erdman: Commentary by Harold Bloom |
I. |
I. | Chap: I |
II. |
III. |
IV. |
V. |
VI. |
VII. |
VIII. |
IX. |
II. |
III. |
IV. |
V. |
VI. |
VII. |
XII. |
XIII. |
XV. |
Chap: I The Poetry and Prose of William Blake | ||
Chap: I
1.
Lo, a shadow of horror is risenIn Eternity! Unknown, unprolific!
Self-closd, all-repelling: what Demon
Hath form'd this abominable void
This soul-shudd'ring vacuum?—Some said
“It is Urizen”, But unknown, abstracted
Brooding secret, the dark power hid.
2.
Times on times he divided, & measur'dSpace by space in his ninefold darkness
Unseen, unknown! changes appeard
In his desolate mountains rifted furious
By the black winds of perturbation
3.
For he strove in battles direIn unseen conflictions with shapes
Bred from his forsaken wilderness,
Of beast, bird, fish, serpent & element
Combustion, blast, vapour and cloud.
4.
Dark revolving in silent activity:Unseen in tormenting passions;
An activity unknown and horrible;
A self-contemplating shadow,
In enormous labours occupied
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5.
But Eternals beheld his vast forestsAge on ages he lay, clos'd, unknown,
Brooding shut in the deep; all avoid
The petrific abominable chaos
6.
His cold horrors silent, dark UrizenPrepar'd: his ten thousands of thunders
Rang'd in gloom'd array stretch out across
The dread world, & the rolling of wheels
As of swelling seas, sound in his clouds
In his hills of stor'd snows, in his mountains
Of hail & ice; voices of terror,
Are heard, like thunders of autumn,
When the cloud blazes over the harvests
Chap: I The Poetry and Prose of William Blake | ||