Laughter from a Cloud By Walter Raleigh with a foreword by Hilary Raleigh |
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| LINES SUGGESTED BY AN EDITION OF BLAKE'S POEMS |
 | Laughter from a Cloud |  |
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LINES SUGGESTED BY AN EDITION OF BLAKE'S POEMS
I have taken to the Blake manner:
“If you try to do what's right
You pass your life in a horrible fright,
And your Emanation—Lord protect her!—
Commits adultery with your Spectre.”
You pass your life in a horrible fright,
And your Emanation—Lord protect her!—
Commits adultery with your Spectre.”
I write to you because you won't write to me:
“He that answers a Friend's letter
Makes the Morning Star his debtor.”
Makes the Morning Star his debtor.”
I like the visionary style.
Poplar, Malden, and Lambeth's Vale
Each held on to the other's tail;
Poplar lived on chickweed and groundsel,
Malden danced to please the Council;
Lambeth's Vale in an old plug hat
Played the bones on the front-door mat,
And then crept round to the back garden
To get his money and ask for pardon.
A Christian's heart is never hard,
So they gave him a pound of lard.
What's the reason, Christians, tell,
Why the most of us go to Hell?
Each held on to the other's tail;
Poplar lived on chickweed and groundsel,
Malden danced to please the Council;
Lambeth's Vale in an old plug hat
Played the bones on the front-door mat,
And then crept round to the back garden
To get his money and ask for pardon.
A Christian's heart is never hard,
So they gave him a pound of lard.
What's the reason, Christians, tell,
Why the most of us go to Hell?
Oxford 27th Oct. 1905
| Laughter from a Cloud | |