Than all these labours of the harvest & the vintage. See the river
Red with the blood of Men. swells lustful round my rocky knees
My clouds are not the clouds of verdant fields & groves of fruit
But Clouds of Human Souls, my nostrils drink the lives of Men
The Villages Lament, they faint outstretchd upon the plain
Wailing runs round the Valleys from the Mill & from the Barn
But most the polishd Palaces [?weak] dark silent bow with dread
Hiding their books & pictures, underneath the dens of Earth
The Cities send to one another saying My sons are Mad
20 With wine of cruelty. Let us plat a scourge O Sister City
Children are nourishd for the Slaughter; once the Child was fed
With Milk; but wherefore now are Children fed with blood
PAGE 15
The Horse is of more value than the Man. The Tyger fierce
Laughs at the Human form, the Lion mocks & thirsts for blood
They cry O Spider spread thy web! Enlarge thy bones & fill’d
With marrow, sinews & flesh Exalt thyself attain a voice
Call to thy dark armd hosts, for all the sons of Men muster together
To desolate their cities! Man shall be no more! Awake O Hosts
The bow string sang upon the hills! Luvah & Vala ride
Triumphant in the bloody sky. & the Human form is no more
The listning Stars heard, & the first beam of the morning started back
10 He cried out to his Father, depart! depart! but sudden Siez’d,
And clad in steel. & his Horse proudly neighd; he smelt the battle
Afar off, Rushing back, reddning with rage the [Eternal] Mighty Father
Siezd his bright Sheephook studded with gems & gold, he Swung it round
His head shrill sounding in the sky, down rushd the Sun with noise
Of war. The Mountains fled away they sought a place beneath
Vala remaind in desarts of dark solitude, nor Sun nor Moon
By night nor day to comfort her, she labourd in thick smoke
Tharmas endurd not, he fled howling, then a barren waste sunk down
Conglobing in the dark confusion, Mean time Los was born
20 And Thou O Enitharmon! Hark I hear the hammers of Los
PAGE 16
They melt the bones of Vala, & the bones of Luvah into wedges
The innumerable sons & daughters of Luvah closd in furnaces
Melt into furrows, winter blows his bellows: Ice & Snow
Tend the dire anvils. Mountains mourn & Rivers faint & fail
There is no City nor Corn-field nor Orchard! all is Rock & Sand
There is no Sun nor Moon nor Star, but rugged wintry rocks
Justling together in the void suspended by inward fires
Impatience now no longer can endure. Distracted Luvah
Bursting forth from the loins of Enitharmon, Thou fierce Terror
10 Go howl in vain, Smite Smite his fetters Smite O wintry hammers
Smite Spectre of Urthona, mock the fiend who drew us down
From heavens of joy into this Deep. Now rage but rage in vain
Thus Sang the Demons of the Deep. the Clarions of War blew loud
The Feast redounds & Crownd with roses & the circling vine
The Enormous Bride & Bridegroom sat, beside them Urizen
With faded radiance sighd, forgetful of the flowing wine
And of Ahania his Pure Bride but She was distant far
But Los & Enitharmon sat in discontent & scorn
Craving the more the more enjoying, drawing out sweet bliss
20 From all the turning wheels of heaven & the chariots of the Slain
At distance Far in Night repelld. in direful hunger craving
Summers & Winters round revolving in the frightful deep.
PAGE 17
[And] Enion blind & age-bent wept upon the desolate wind
Why does the Raven cry aloud and no eye pities her?
Why fall the Sparrow & the Robin in the foodless winter?
Faint! shivering they sit on leafless bush, or frozen stone
Wearied with seeking food across the snowy waste; the little
Heart, cold; and the little tongue consum’d, that once in thoughtless joy
Gave songs of gratitude to [the] waving corn fields round their nest.
Why howl the Lion & the Wolf? why do they roam abroad?
Deluded by [the] summers heat they sport in enormous love
And cast their young out to the hungry wilds & sandy desarts
PAGE l8
Why is the Sheep given to the knife? the Lamb plays in the Sun
He starts! he hears the foot of Man! he says, Take thou my wool
But spare my life, but he knows not that [the] winter cometh fast.
The Spider sits in his labourd Web, eager watching for the Fly
Presently comes a famishd Bird & takes away the Spider
His Web is left all desolate, that his little anxious heart
So careful wove; & spread it out with sighs and weariness.
This was the Lamentation of Enion round the golden Feast
Eternity groand and was troubled at the image of Eternal Death
10 Without the body of Man an Exudation from his sickning limbs
Now Man was come to the Palm tree & to the Oak of Weeping
Which stand upon the Edge of Beulah & he sunk down
From the supporting arms of the Eternal Saviour; who disposd
The pale limbs of his Eternal Individuality
Upon The Rock of Ages. Watching over him with Love & Care
[End of the First Night]
PAGE 21
Then those in Great Eternity met in the Council of God
As one Man for contracting their Exalted Senses
They behold Multitude or Expanding they behold as one
As One Man all the Universal family & that one Man
They call Jesus the Christ & they in him & he in them
Live in Perfect harmony in Eden the land of life
Consulting as One Man above [Mount Gilead] the
Mountain of Snowdon Sublime
For messengers from Beulah come in tears & darkning clouds
Saying Shiloh is in ruins our brother is sick [Shiloh] Albion He
10 Whom thou lovest is sick he wanders from his house of Eternity
The daughters of Beulah terrified have closd the Gate of the Tongue
Luvah & Urizen contend in war around the holy tent
So spoke the Ambassadors from Beulah & with solemn mourning
They were introducd to the divine presence & they kneeled down
In [Beth Peor] Conways Vale thus recounting the Wars of Death Eternal
The Eternal Man wept in the holy tent Our Brother in Eternity
Even [Shiloh] Albion whom thou lovest wept in pain his family
Slept round on hills & valleys in the regions of his love
But Urizen awoke & Luvah woke & thus conferrd
20 Thou Luvah said the Prince of Light behold our sons & daughters
Reposd on beds. let them sleep on, do thou alone depart
Into thy wished Kingdom where in Majesty & Power
We may erect a throne. deep in the North I place my lot
Thou in the South listen attentive. In silent of this night
I will infold the Eternal tent in clouds opake while thou
Siezing the chariots of the morning. Go outfleeting ride
Afar into the Zenith high bending thy furious course
Southward with half the tents of men inclosd in clouds
Of Tharmas & Urthona. I remaining in porches of the brain
30 Will lay my scepter on Jerusalem the Emanation
On all her sons & on thy sons O Luvah & on mine
Till dawn was wont to wake them then my trumpet sounding loud
Ravishd away in night my strong comm
and shall be obeyd
For I have placd my centinels in stations each tenth man
Is bought & sold & in dim night my Word shall be their law
PAGE 22
Luvah replied Dictate to thy Equals, am not I
The Prince of all the hosts of Men nor Equal know in Heaven
If I arise into the Zenith leaving thee to watch
The Emanation & her Sons the Satan & the Anak
Sihon and Og. wilt thou not rebel to my laws remain
In darkness building thy strong throne & in my ancient night
Daring my power wilt arm my sons against me in the [deep] Atlantic
My deep My night which thou assuming hast assumd my Crown
I will remain as well as thou & here with hands of blood
10 Smite this dark sleeper in his tent then try my strength with thee.
While thus he spoke his fires reddend [round] oer the holy tent
Urizen cast deep darkness round him silent brooding death
Eternal death to Luvah. raging Luvah pourd
The Lances of Urizen from chariots. round the holy tent
Discord began & yells & cries shook the wide firmament
Beside his anvil stood Urthona dark. a mass of iron
Glowd furious on the anvil prepard for spades & coulters All
His sons fled from his side to join the conflict pale he heard
The Eternal voice he stood the sweat chilld on his mighty limbs
20 He dropd his hammer, dividing from his aking bosom fled
A portion of his life shrieking upon the wind she fled
And Tharmas took her in pitying Then Enion in jealous fear
Murderd her & hid her in her bosom embalming her for fear
She should arise again to life Embalmd in Enions bosom
Enitharmon remains a corse such thing was never known
In Eden that one died a death never to be revivd
Urthona stood in terror but not long his spectre fled
To Enion & his body fell. Tharmas beheld him fall
Endlong a raging serpent rolling round the holy tent
30 The sons of war astonishd at the Glittring monster drove
Him far into the world of Tharmas into a cavernd rock
But Urizen with darkness overspreading all the armies
Sent round his heralds secretly commanding to depart
Into the north Sudden with thunders sound his multitudes
Retreat from the fierce conflict all the sons of Urizen at once
Mustring together in thick clouds leaving the rage of Luvah
To pour its fury on himself & on the Eternal Man
Sudden down fell they all together into an unknown Space
Deep horrible without End. Separated from Beulah far beneath
40 The Mans exteriors are become indefinite opend to pain
In a fierce hungring void & none can visit his regions
PAGE 19
Jerusalem his Emanation [will soon] is become a ruin
Her little ones [will be] are slain on the top of every street
And she herself le[d] captive & scatterd into [all nations] the indefinite
Gird on thy sword O thou most mighty in glory & majesty
Destroy these opressors of Jerusalem & those who ruin Shiloh
So spoke the Messengers of Beulah. Silently removing
The Family Divine drew up the Universal tent
Above [Mount Gilead] High Snowdon & closd the Messengers in clouds around
Till the time of the End. Then they Elected Seven. called the Seven
10 Eyes of God & the Seven lamps of the Almighty
The Seven are one within the other the Seventh is named Jesus
The Lamb of God blessed for ever & he followd the Man
Who wanderd in mount Ephraim seeking a Sepulcher
His inward eyes closing from the Divine vision & all
His children wandering outside from his bosom fleeing away
[End of The First Night]
PAGE 20
The Daughters of Beulah beheld the Emanation they pitied
They wept before the Inner gates of Enitharmons bosom
And of her fine wrought brain & of her bowels within her loins
Three gates within Glorious & bright open into [Eternity] Beulah
From Enitharmons inward parts but the bright female terror
Refusd to open the bright gates she closd and barrd them fast
Lest Los should enter into Beulah thro her beautiful gates
The Emanation stood before the Gates of Enitharmon
Weeping, the Daughters of Beulah silent in the Porches
10 Spread her a couch unknown to Enitharmon here reposd
Jerusalem in slumbers soft lulld into silent rest
Terrific ragd the Eternal Wheels of intellect terrific ragd
The living creatures of the wheels in the Wars of Eternal life
But perverse rolld the wheels of Urizen & Luvah back reversd
Downwards & outwards [tending] consuming in the wars
of Eternal Death
PAGE 23
VALA
NIGHT THE [SECOND] [FIRST/THIRD]
Rising upon his Couch of Death Albion beheld his Sons
Turning his Eyes outward to Self. losing the Divine Vision
[The Man] Albion calld Urizen & said. Behold these
sickning Spheres
Whence is this Voice of Enion that soundeth in my [Ears] Porches
Take thou possession! take this Scepter! go forth in my might
For I am weary, & must sleep in the dark sleep of Death
Thy brother Luvah hath smitten me but pity thou his youth
Tho thou hast not pitid my Age O Urizen Prince of Light
Urizen rose from the bright Feast like a star thro’ the evening sky
10 Exulting at the voice that calld him from the Feast of envy
First he beheld the body of Man pale, cold, the horrors of death
Beneath his feet shot thro’ him as he stood in the Human Brain
And all its golden porches grew pale with his sickening light
No more Exulting for he saw Eternal Death beneath
Pale he beheld futurity; pale he beheld the Abyss
Where Enion blind & age bent wept in direful hunger craving
All rav’ning like the hungry worm, & like the silent grave
PAGE 24
Mighty was the draught of Voidness to draw Existence in
Terrific Urizen strode above, in fear & pale dismay
He saw the indefinite space beneath & his soul shrunk with horror
His feet upon the verge of Non Existence; his voice went forth
Luvah & Vala trembling & shrinking, beheld the great Work master
And heard his Word! Divide ye bands influence by influence
Build we a Bower for heavens darling in the grizly deep
Build we the Mundane Shell around the Rock of Albion
The Bands of Heaven flew thro the air singing & shouting to Urizen
10 Some fix’d the anvil, some the loom erected, some the plow
And harrow formd & framd the harness of silver & ivory
The golden compasses, the quadrant & the rule & balance
They erected the furnaces, they formd the anvils of gold beaten in mills
Where winter beats incessant, fixing them firm on their base
The bellows began to blow & the Lions of Urizen stood round the anvil
PAGE 25
And the leopards coverd with skins of beasts tended the roaring fires
Sublime distinct their lineaments divine of human beauty
The tygers of wrath called the horses of instruction from their mangers
They unloos’d them & put on the harness of gold & silver & ivory
In human forms distinct they stood round Urizen prince of Light
Petrifying all the Human Imagination into rock & sand
Groans ran along Tyburn
s brook and along the River of Oxford
Among the Druid Temples. Albion groand on Tyburns brook
Albion gave his loud death groan The Atlantic Mountains trembled
10 Aloft the Moon fled with a cry the Sun with streams of blood
From Albions Loins fled all Peoples and Nations of the Earth [Fled]
Fled with the noise of Slaughter & the stars of heaven Fled
Jerusalem came down in a dire ruin over all the Earth
She fell cold from Lambeths Vales in groans & Dewy death
The dew of anxious souls the death-sweat of the dying
In every pillard hall & arched roof of Albions skies
The brother & the brother bathe in blood upon the Severn
The Maiden weeping by. The father & the mother with
The Maidens father & her mother fainting over the body
20 And the Young Man the Murderer fleeing over the mountains
Reuben slept on Penmaenmawr & Levi slept on Snowdon
Their eyes their ears nostrils & tongues roll outward they behold
What is within now seen without they are raw to the hungry wind
They become Nations far remote in a little & dark Land
The Daughters of Albion girded around their garments of Needlework
Stripping Jerusalems curtains from mild demons of the hills
Across Europe & Asia to China & Japan like lightenings
They go forth & return to Albion on his rocky couch
Gwendolen Ragan Sabrina Gonorill Mehetabel Cordella
30 Boadicea Conwenna Estrild Gwinefrid Ignoge Cambel
Binding Jerusalems Children in the dungeons of Babylon
They play before the Armies before the hounds of Nimrod
While The Prince of Light on Salisbury plain among the druid stones
Rattling the adamantine chains & hooks heave up the orc
In mountainous masses, plung’d in furnaces, & they shut & seald
The furnaces a time & times; all the while blew the North
His cloudy bellows & the South & East & dismal West
And all the while the plow of iron cut the dreadful furrows
In Ulro beneath Beulah where the Dead wail Night & Day
40 Luvah was cast into the Furnaces of affliction & sealed
And Vala fed in cruel delight, the furnaces with fire
Stern Urizen beheld urg’d by necessity to keep
The evil day afar, & if perchance with iron power
He might avert his own despair; in woe & fear he saw
PAGE 26
Vala incircle round the furnaces where Luvah was clos’d
In joy she heard his howlings, & forgot he was her Luvah
With whom she walkd in bliss, in times of innocence & youth