University of Virginia Library

Search this document 
The Poetry and Prose of William Blake

Edited by David V. Erdman: Commentary by Harold Bloom

collapse sectionI. 
collapse section 
  
 I. 
 II. 
 III. 
 IV. 
collapse section 
collapse section 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
collapse section 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
collapse section 
  
  
  
collapse section 
  
  
collapse section 
  
  
  
  
collapse section 
  
  
  
collapse section 
  
  
collapse section 
  
 I. 
 II. 
 III. 
collapse sectionIV. 
  
  
 V. 
 VI. 
 VII. 
 VIII. 
 IX. 
collapse section 
 I. 
 II. 
 III. 
 IV. 
 V. 
collapse section 
 I. 
 II. 
 III. 
 IV. 
collapse section 
  
 I. 
 II. 
collapse section 
collapse section 
  
  
  
  
 I. 
  
  
 2. 
  
 3. 
  
 4. 
collapse section 
  
  
  
  
  
collapse sectionII. 
collapse section 
 1. 
 2. 
 3. 
 4. 
 5. 
 6. 
 7. 
 8. 
collapse section 
 1. 
collapse section 
 1. 
 2. 
 3. 
 4. 
 5. 
 6. 
 7. 
 8. 
 9. 
 7. 
collapse sectionIII. 
collapse section 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
collapse section 
 1. 
 2. 
 3. 
 4. 
 5. 
 6. 
  
  
collapse sectionIV. 
collapse section3. 
  
  
collapse section6. 
  
collapse section8. 
  
  
collapse section9. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
collapse section11. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
collapse sectionV. 
collapse section 
collapse section 
  
  
collapse section 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
collapse section 
  
  
  
  
  
collapse section 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
collapse section 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
collapse section 
  
  
  
collapse section 
  
  
collapse section 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Auguries of Innocence
  
  
collapse sectionVI. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
collapse sectionVII. 
  
collapse sectionXII. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
collapse sectionXIII. 
collapse section 
 1. 
 2. 
 3. 
 4. 
 5. 
 6. 
 7. 
 8. 
 9. 
 10. 
 11. 
 12. 
collapse sectionXV. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Auguries of Innocence

[An Editorial Arrangement]

To see a World in a Grain of Sand
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
And Eternity in an hour
A Robin Red breast in a Cage
Puts all Heaven in a Rage
A dove house filld with doves & Pigeons
Shudders Hell thro all its regions
A dog starvd at his Masters Gate
Predicts the ruin of the State
A Horse misusd upon the Road
Calls to Heaven for Human blood
Each outcry of the hunted Hare
A fibre from the Brain does tear
A Skylark wounded in the wing
A Cherubim does cease to sing
The Game Cock clipd & armd for fight
Does the Rising Sun affright
The Lamb misusd breeds Public strife
And yet forgives the Butchers Knife
He who shall train the Horse to War
Shall never pass the Polar Bar
Every Wolfs & Lions howl
Raises from Hell a Human Soul
The Bleat the Bark Bellow & Roar
Are Waves that Beat on Heavens Shore

485

The wild deer wandring here & there
Keeps the Human Soul from Care
The Beggers Dog & Widows Cat
Feed them & thou wilt grow fat
He who shall hurt the little Wren
Shall never be belovd by Men
He who the Ox to wrath has movd
Shall never be by Woman lovd
He who torments the Chafers sprite
Weaves a Bower in endless Night
The wanton Boy that kills the Fly
Shall feel the Spiders enmity
The Catterpiller on the Leaf
Repeats to thee thy Mothers grief
Kill not the Moth nor Butterfly
For the Last Judgment draweth nigh
The Bat that flits at close of Eve
Has left the Brain that wont Believe
The Owl that calls upon the Night
Speaks the Unbelievers fright
The Gnat that sings his Summers song
Poison gets from Slanders tongue
The poison of the Snake & Newt
Is the sweat of Envys Foot
The Poison of the Honey Bee
Is the Artists Jealousy
A Riddle or the Crickets Cry
Is to Doubt a fit Reply
The Emmets Inch & Eagles Mile
Make Lame Philosophy to smile
He who Doubts from what he sees
Will neer Believe do what you Please
If the Sun & Moon should doubt
Theyd immediately Go out
He who mocks the Infants Faith
Shall be mock'd in Age & Death
He who shall teach the Child to Doubt
The rotting Grave shall neer get out
He who respects the Infants faith
Triumphs over Hell & Death
The Childs Toys & the Old Mans Reasons
Are the Fruits of the Two seasons
The Questioner who sits so sly
Shall never know how to Reply
He who replies to words of Doubt
Doth put the Light of Knowledge out
A truth thats told with bad intent

486

Beats all the Lies you can invent
Joy & Woe are woven fine
A Clothing for the Soul divine
Under every grief & pine
Runs a joy with silken twine
It is right it should be so
Man was made for Joy & Woe
And when this we rightly know
Thro the World we safely go
The Babe is more than swadling Bands
Throughout all these Human Lands
Tools were made & Born were hands
Every Farmer Understands
Every Tear from Every Eye
Becomes a Babe in Eternity
This is caught by Females bright
And returnd to its own delight
The Babe that weeps the Rod beneath
Writes Revenge in realms of death
The Princes Robes & Beggars Rags
Are Toadstools on the Misers Bags
The Beggars Rags fluttering in Air
Does to Rags the Heavens tear
The poor Mans Farthing is worth more
Than all the Gold on Africs Shore
One Mite wrung from the Labrers hands
Shall buy & sell the Misers Lands
Or if protected from on high
Does that whole Nation sell & buy
The Strongest Poison ever known
Came from Caesars Laurel Crown
Nought can deform the Human Race
Like to the Armours iron brace
The Soldier armd with Sword & Gun
Palsied strikes the Summers Sun
When Gold & Gems adorn the Plow
To peaceful Arts shall Envy Bow
To be in a Passion you Good may do
But no Good if a Passion is in you
The Whore & Gambler by the State
Licencd build that Nations Fate
The Harlots cry from Street to Street
Shall weave Old Englands winding Sheet
The Winners Shout the Losers Curse
Dance before dead Englands Hearse
Every Night & every Morn

487

Some to Misery are Born
Every Morn & every Night
Some are Born to sweet delight
Some are Born to sweet delight
Some are Born to Endless Night
We are led to Believe a Lie
When we see not Thro the Eye
Which was Born in a Night to perish in a Night
When the Soul Slept in Beams of Light
God Appears & God is Light
To those poor Souls who dwell in Night
But does a Human Form Display
To those who Dwell in Realms of day