# Vala, or The Four Zoas/Night the Seventh

Source: The Complete Poetry & Prose of William Blake by William Blake. Edited by David V. Erdman
* VALA Night the Seventh
* [ page 77 ]
* Then Urizen arose The Spectre fled & Tharmas fled
* The darkning Spectre of Urthona hid beneath a rock
* Tharmas threw his impetuous flight thro the deeps of immensity
* Revolving round in whirlpools fierce all round the cavernd worlds
* 5 But Urizen silent descended to the Caves of Orc & saw
* A Cavernd Universe of flaming fire the horses of Urizen
* Here bound to fiery mangers furious dash their golden hoofs
* Striking fierce sparkles from their brazen fetters. fierce his lions
* Howl in the burning dens his tygers roam ill the redounding smoke
* 10 In forests of affliction. the adamantine scales of justice
* Consuming in the raging lamps of mercy pourd in rivers
* The holy oil rages thro all the cavernd rocks fierce flames
* Dance on the rivers & the rocks howling & drunk with fury
* The plow of ages & the golden harrow wade thro fields
* 15 Of goary blood the immortal seed is nourishd for the slaughter
* The bulls of Luvah breathing fire bellow on burning pastures
* Round howling Orc whose awful limbs cast forth red smoke & fire
* That Urizen approachd not near but took his seat on a rock
* And rangd his books around him brooding Envious over Orc
* 20 Howling & rending his dark caves the awful Demon lay
* Pulse after pulse beat on his fetters pulse after pulse his spirit
* Darted & darted higher & higher to the shrine of Enitharmon
* As when the thunder folds himself in thickest clouds
* The watry nations couch & hide in the profoundest deeps
* 25 Then bursting from his troubled head with terrible visages & flaming hair
* His swift wingd daughters sweep across the vast black ocean
* Los felt the Envy in his limbs like to a blighted tree
* [ page 78 ]
* For Urizen fixd in Envy sat brooding & coverd with snow
* His book of iron on his knees he tracd the dreadful letters
* While his snows fell & his storms beat to cool the flames of Orc
* Age after Age till underneath his heel a deadly root
* 5 Struck thro the rock the root of Mystery accursed shooting up
* Branches into the heaven of Los they pipe formd bending down
* Take root again whereever they touch again branching forth
* In intricate labyrinths oerspreading many a grizly deep
* Amazd started Urizen when he found himself compassd round
* 10 And high roofed over with trees. he arose but the stems
* Stood so thick he with difficulty & great pain brought
* His books out of the dismal shade. all but the book of iron
* Again he took his seat & rangd his Books aroundt
* On a rock of iron frowning over the foaming fires of Orc
* 15 And Urizen hung over Ore & viewd his terrible wrath
* Sitting upon an iron Crag at length his words broke forth
* Image of dread whence art thou whence is this most woful place
* Whence these fierce fires but from thyself No other living thing
* In all this Chasm I behold. No other living thing
* 20 Dare thy most terrible wrath abide Bound here to waste in pain
* Thy vital substance in these fires that issue new & new
* Around thee sometimes like a flood & sometimes like a rock
* Of living pangs thy horrible bed glowing with ceaseless fires
* Beneath thee & around Above a Shower of fire now beats
* 25 Moulded to globes & arrowy wedges rending thy bleeding limbs
* And now a whirling pillar of burning sands to overwhelm thee
* Steeping thy wounds in salts infernal & in bitter anguish
* And now a rock moves on the surface of this lake of fire
* To bear thee down beneath the waves in stifling despair
* 30 Pity for thee movd me to break my dark & long repose
* And to reveal myself before thee in a form of wisdom
* Yet thou dost laugh at all these tortures & this horrible place
* Yet throw thy limbs these fires abroad that back return upon thee
* While thou reposest throwing rage on rage feeding thyself
* 35 With visions of sweet bliss far other than this burning clime
* Sure thou art bathd in rivers of delight on verdant fields
* Walking in joy in bright Expanses sleeping on bright clouds
* With visions of delight so lovely that they urge thy rage
* Tenfold with fierce desire to rend thy chain & howl in fury
* 40 And dim oblivion of all woe & desperate repose
* Or is thy joy founded on torment which others bear for thee
* Orc answer'd Curse thy hoary brows. What dost thou in this deep
* Thy Pity I contemn scatter thy snows elsewhere
* [ page 79 ]
* I rage in the deep for Lo my feet & hands are naild to the burning rock
* Yet my fierce fires are better than thy snows Shuddring thou sittest
* Thou art not chaind Why shouldst thou sit cold grovelling demon of woe
* In tortures of dire coldness now a Lake of waters deep
* 5 Sweeps over thee freezing to solid still thou sitst closd up
* In that transparent rock as if in joy of thy bright prison
* Till overburdend with its own weight drawn out thro immensity
* With a crash breaking across the horrible mass comes down
* Thundring & hail & frozen iron haild from the Element
* 10 Rends thy white hair yet thou dost fixd obdurate brooding sit
* Writing thy books. Anon a cloud filld with a waste of snows
* Covers thee still obdurate still resolvd & writing still
* Tho rocks roll oer thee tho floods pour tho winds black as the Seat
* Cut thee in gashes tho the blood pours down around thy ankles
* 15 Freezing thy feet to the hard rock still thy pen obdurate
* Traces the wonders of Futurity in horrible fear of the future
* I rage furious in the deep for lo my feet & hands are naild
* To the hard rock or thou shouldst feel my enmity & hate
* In all the diseases of man falling upon thy grey accursed front
* 20 Urizen answerd Read my books explore my Constellations
* Enquire of my Sons & they shall teach thee how to War
* Enquire of my Daughters who accursd in the dark depths
* Knead bread of Sorrow by my stern command for I am God
* Of all this dreadful ruin Rise O daughters at my Stern command
* 25 Rending the Rocks Eleth & Uveth rose & Ona rose
* Terrific with their iron vessels driving them across
* In the dim air they took the book of iron & placd above
* On clouds of death & sang their songs Kneading the bread of Orc
* Orc listend to the song compelld hungring on the cold wind
* 30 That swaggd heavy with the accursed dough. the hoar frost ragd
* Thro Onas sieve the torrent rain pourd from the iron pail
* Of Eleth & the icy hands of Uveth kneaded the bread
* The heavens bow with terror underneath their iron hands
* Singing at their dire work the words of Urizens book of iron
* 35 While the enormous scrolls rolld dreadful in the heavens above
* And still the burden of their song in tears was poured forth
* The bread is Kneaded let us rest O cruel father of children
* But Urizen remitted not their labours upon his rock
* [ page 80 ]
* And Urizen Read in his book of brass in sounding tonest
* Listen O Daughters to my voice Listen to the Words of Wisdom
* So shall [ye] govern over all let Moral Duty tune your tongue
* But be your hearts harder than the nether millstone
* 5 To bring the shadow of Enitharmon beneath our wondrous tree
* That Los may Evaporate like smoke & be no more
* Draw down Enitharmon to the Spectre of Urthona
* And let him have dominion over Los the terrible shade
* Compell the poor to live upon a Crust of bread by soft mild arts
* 10 Smile when they frown frown when they smile & when a man looks pale
* With labour & abstinence say he looks healthy & happy
* And when his children Sicken let them die there are enough
* Born even too many & our Earth will be overrun
* Without these arts If you would make the poor live with temper
* 15 With pomp give every crust of bread you give with gracious cunning
* Magnify small gifts reduce the man to want a gift & then give with pomp
* Say he smiles if you hear him sigh If pale say he is ruddy
* Preach temperance say he is overgorgd & drowns his wit
* In strong drink tho you know that bread & water are all
* 20 He can afford Flatter his wife pity his children till we can
* Reduce all to our will as spaniels are taught with art
* Lo how the heart & brain are formed in the breeding womb
* Of Enitharmon how it buds with life & forms the bones
* The little heart the liver & the red blood in its labyrinths
* 25 By gratified desire by strong devouring appetite she fills
* Los with ambitious fury that his race shall all devour
* Then Orc cried Curse thy Cold hypocrisy. already round thy Tree
* In scales that shine with gold & rubies thou beginnest to weaken
* My divided Spirit Like a worm I rise in peace unbound
* 30 From wrath Now When I rage my fetters bind me more
* O torment O torment A Worm compelld. Am I a worm
* Is it in strong deceit that man is born. In strong deceit
* Thou dost restrain my fury that the worm may fold the tree
* Avaunt Cold hypocrite I am chaind or thou couldst not use me thus
* 35 The Man shall rage bound with this Chain the worm in silence creep
* Thou wilt not cease from rage Grey Demon silence all thy storms
* Give me example of thy mildness King of furious hail storms
* Art thou the cold attractive power that holds me in this chain
* I well remember how I stole thy light & it became fire
* 40 Consuming. Thou Knowst me now O Urizen Prince of Light
* And I know thee is this the triumph this the Godlike State
* That lies beyond the bounds of Science in the Grey obscure
* Terrified Urizen heard Orc now certain that he was Luvah
* And Orc began to Organize a Serpent body
* 45 Despising Urizens light & turning it into flaming fire
* Recieving as a poisond Cup Recieves the heavenly wine
* And turning affection into fury & thought into abstractiont
* A Self consuming dark devourer rising into the heavens
* Urizen envious brooding sat & saw the secret terror
* 50 Flame high in pride & laugh to scorn the source of his deceit
* Nor knew the source of his own but thought himself the Sole author
* [ page 81 ]
* Of all his wandering Experiments in the horrible Abyss
* He knew that weakness stretches out in breadth & length he knew
* That wisdom reaches high & deep & therefore he made Orc
* In Serpent form compelld stretch out & up the mysterious tree
* 5 He sufferd him to Climb that he might draw all human forms
* Into submission to his will nor knew the dread result
* Los sat in showers of Urizen watching cold Enitharmon
* His broodings rush down to his feet producing Eggs that hatching
* Burst forth upon the winds above the tree of Mystery
* 10 Enitharmon lay on his knees. Urizen tracd his Verses
* In the dark deep the dark tree grew. her shadow was drawn down
* Down to the roots it wept over Orc. the Shadow of Enitharmon
* Los saw her stretchd the image of death upon his witherd valleys
* Her Shadow went forth & returnd Now she was pale as Snow
* 15 When the mountains & hills are coverd over & the paths of Men shut up
* But when her spirit returnd as ruddy as a morning when
* The ripe fruit blushes into joy in heavens eternal halls
* Sorrow shot thro him from his feet it shot up to his head
* Like a cold night that nips the root & shatters off the leaves
* 20 Silent he stood oer Enitharmon watching her pale face
* He spoke not he was Silent till he felt the cold disease
* Then Los mournd on the dismal wind in his jealous lamentation
* Why can I not Enjoy thy beauty Lovely Enitharmon
* When I return from clouds of Grief in the wandring Elements
* 25 Where thou in thrilling joy in beaming summer loveliness
* Delectable reposest ruddy in my absence flaming with beauty
* Cold pale in sorrow at my approach trembling at my terrific
* Forehead & eyes thy lips decay like roses in the spring
* How art thou Shrunk thy grapes that burst in summers vast Excess
* 30 Shut up in little purple covering faintly bud & die
* Thy olive trees that pourd down oil upon a thousand hills
* Sickly look forth & scarcely stretch their branches to the plain
* Thy roses that expanded in the face of glowing morn
* [ page 82 ]
* Hid in a little silken veil scarce breathe & faintly shine
* Thy lilies that gave light what time the morning looked forth
* Hid in the Vales faintly lament & no one hears their voice
* All things beside the woful Los enjoy the delights of beauty
* 5 Once how I sang & calld the beasts & birds to their delights
* Nor knew that I alone exempted from the joys of love
* Must war with secret monsters of the animating worlds
* O that I had not seen the day then should I be at rest
* Nor felt the stingings of desire nor longings after life
* 10 For life is Sweet to Los the wretched to his winged woes
* Is given a craving cry that they may sit at night on barren rocks
* And whet their beaks & snuff the air & watch the opening dawn
* And Shriek till at the smells of blood they stretch their boney wings
* And cut the winds like arrows shot by troops of Destiny
* 15 Thus Los lamented in the night unheard by Enitharmon
* For the Shadow of Enitharmon descended down the tree of Mystery
* The Spectre saw the Shade Shivering over his gloomy rocks
* Beneath the tree of Mystery which in the dismal Abyss
* Began to blossom in fierce pain shooting its writhing buds
* 20 In throes of birth & now the blossoms falling shining fruit
* Appeard of many colours & of various poisonous qualities
* Of Plagues hidden in shining globes that grew on the living tree
* The Spectre of Urthona saw the Shadow of Enitharmon
* Beneath the Tree of Mystery among the leaves & fruit
* 25 Reddning the Demon strong prepard the poison of sweet Love
* He turnd from side to side in tears he wept & he embracd
* The fleeting image & in whispers mild wood the faint shade
* Loveliest delight of Men. Enitharmon shady hiding
* In secret places where no eye can trace thy watry way
* 30 Have I found thee have I found thee tremblest thou in fear
* Because of Orc because he rent his discordant way
* From thy sweet loins of bliss. red flowd thy blood
* Pale grew thy face lightnings playd around thee thunders hoverd
* Over thee, & the terrible Orc rent his discordant wayt
* 35 But the next joy of thine shall be in sweet delusion
* And its birth in fainting & sleep & Sweet delusions of Vala
* The Shadow of Enitharmon answerd Art thou terrible Shade
* Set over this sweet boy of mine to guard him lest he rend
* [ page 83 ]
* His mother to the winds of heaven Intoxicated with
* The fruit of this delightful tree. I cannot flee away
* From thy embrace else be assurd so horrible a form
* Should never in my arms repose. now listen I will tell
* 5 Thee Secrets of Eternity which neer before unlockd
* My golden lips nor took the bar from Enitharmons breast
* Among the Flowers of Beulah walkd the Eternal Man & Saw
* Vala the lilly of the desart. melting in high noon
* Upon her bosom in sweet bliss he fainted Wonder siezd
* 10 All heaven they saw him dark. they built a golden wall
* Round Beulah There he reveld in delight among the Flowers
* Vala was pregnant & brought forth Urizen Prince of Light
* First born of Generation. Then behold a wonder to the Eyes
* Of the now fallen Man a double form Vala appeard. A Male
* 15 And female shuddring pale the Fallen Man recoild
* From the Enormity & calld them Luvah & Vala. turning down
* The vales to find his way back into Heaven but found none
* For his frail eyes were faded & his ears heavy & dull
* Urizen grew up in the plains of Beulah Many Sons
* 20 And many daughters flourishd round the holy Tent of Man
* Till he forgot Eternity delighted in his sweet joy
* Among his family his flocks & herds & tents & pastures
* But Luvah close conferrd with Urizen in darksom night
* To bind the father & enslave the brethren Nought he knew
* 25 Of sweet Eternity the blood flowd round the holy tent & rivn
* From its hinges uttering its final groan all Beulah fell
* In dark confusion mean time Los was born & Enitharmon
* But how I know not then forgetfulness quite wrapd me up
* A period nor do I more remember till I stood
* 30 Beside Los in the Cavern dark enslavd to vegetative forms
* According to the Will of Luvah who assumd the Place
* Of the Eternal Man & smote him. But thou Spectre dark
* Maist find a way to punish Vala in thy fiery South
* To bring her down subjected to the rage of my fierce boy
* [ page 84 ]
* The Spectre said. Thou lovely Vision this delightful Tree
* Is given us for a Shelter from the tempests of Void & Solid
* Till once again the morn of ages shall renew upon us
* To reunite in those mild fields of happy Eternity
* 5 Where thou & I in undivided Essence walkd about
* Imbodied. thou my garden of delight & I the spirit in the garden
* Mutual there we dwelt in one anothers joy revolving
* Days of Eternity with Tharmas mild & Luvah sweet melodious
* Upon our waters. This thou well rememberest listen I will tell
* 10 What thou forgettest. They in us & we in them alternate Livd
* Drinking the joys of Universal Manhood. One dread morn
* Listen O vision of Delight One dread morn of goary blood
* The manhood was divided for the gentle passions making way
* Thro the infinite labyrinths of the heart & thro the nostrils issuing
* 15 In odorous stupefaction stood before the Eyes of Man
* A female bright. I stood beside my anvil dark a mass
* Of iron glowd bright prepard for spades & plowshares. sudden down
* I sunk with cries of blood issuing downward in the veins
* Which now my rivers were become rolling in tubelike formst
* 20 Shut up within themselves descending down I sunk along
* The goary tide even to the place of seed & there dividing
* I was divided in darkness & oblivion thou an infant woe
* And I an infant terror in the womb of Enion
* My masculine spirit scorning the frail body issud forth
* 25 From Enions brain In this deformed form leaving thee there
* Till times passd over thee but still my spirit returning hoverd
* And formd a Male to be a counterpart to thee O Love
* Darkend & Lost In due time issuing forth from Enions womb
* Thou & that demon Los wert born Ah jealousy & woe
* 30 Ah poor divided dark Urthona now a Spectre wandering
* The deeps of Los the Slave of that Creation I created
* I labour night & day for Los but listen thou my vision
* I view futurity in thee I will bring down soft Vala
* To the embraces of this terror & I will destroy
* 35 That body I created then shall we unite again in bliss
* Thou knowest that the Spectre is in Every Man insane brutish
* Deformd that I am thus a ravening devouring lust continually
* Craving & devouring but my Eyes are always upon thee O lovely
* Delusion & I cannot crave for any thing but thee not so
* 40 The spectres of the Dead for I am as the Spectre of the Living
* For till these terrors planted round the Gates of Eternal life
* Are driven away & annihilated we never can repass the Gates
* [ page 85 ]
* Astonishd filld with tears the spirit of Enitharmon beheld
* And heard the Spectre bitterly she wept Embracing ferventt
* Her once lovd Lord now but a Shade herself also a shade
* Conferring times on times among the branches of that Tree
* 5 Thus they conferrd among the intoxicating fumes of Mystery 5
* Till Enitharmons shadow pregnant in the deeps beneath
* Brought forth a wonder horrible. While Enitharmon shriekd
* And trembled thro the Worlds above Los wept his fierce soul was terrifid
* At the shrieks of Enitharmon at her tossings nor could his eyes percieve
* 10 The cause of her dire anguish for she lay the image of Death
* Movd by strong shudders till her shadow was deliverd then she ran
* Raving about the upper Elements in maddning fury
* She burst the Gates of Enitharmons heart with direful Crash
* Nor could they ever be closd again the golden hinges were broken
* 15 And the gates broke in sunder & their ornaments defacd
* Beneath the tree of Mystery for the immortal shadow shuddering
* Brought forth this wonder horrible a Cloud she grew & grew
* Till many of the dead burst forth from the bottoms of their tombs
* In male forms without female counterparts or Emanations
* 20 Cruel and ravening with Enmity & Hatred & War
* In dreams of Ulro dark delusive drawn by the lovely shadowt
* The Spectre terrified gave her Charge over the howling Orc
* [ page [95] SECOND PORTION ]
* 15 But in the deeps beneath the Roots of Mystery in darkest night
* Where Urizen sat on his rock the Shadow brooded
* Urizen saw & triumphd & he cried to his warriors
* The time of Prophecy is now revolvd & all
* This Universal Ornament is mine & in my hands
* 20 The ends of heaven like a Garment will I fold them round me
* Consuming what must be consumd then in power & majesty
* I will walk forth thro those wide fields of endless Eternity
* A God & not a Man a Conqueror in triumphant glory
* And all the Sons of Everlasting shall bow down at my feet
* 25 First Trades & Commerce ships & armed vessels he builded laborious
* To swim the deep & on the Land children are sold to trades
* Of dire necessity still laboring day & night till all
* Their life extinct they took the spectre form in dark despair
* And slaves in myriads in ship loads burden the hoarse sounding deep
* 30 Rattling with clanking chains the Universal Empire groans
* And he commanded his Sons found a Center in the Deep
* And Urizen laid the first Stone & all his myriads
* Builded a temple in the image of the human heart
* [ page 88 [96] ]
* And in the inner part of the Temple wondrous workmanship
* They formd the Secret place reversing all the order of delight
* That whosoever enterd into the temple might not behold
* The hidden wonders allegoric of the Generations
* 5 Of secret lust when hid in chambers dark the nightly harlot
* Plays in Disguise in whisperd hymn & mumbling prayer The priests
* He ordaind & Priestesses clothd in disguises beastial
* Inspiring secrecy & lamps they bore intoxicating fumes
* Roll round the Temple & they took the Sun that glowd oer Los
* 10 And with immense machines down rolling. the terrific orb
* Compell'd. The Sun reddning like a fierce lion in his chains
* Descended to the sound of instruments that drownd the noise
* Of the hoarse wheels & the terrific howlings of wild beasts
* That dragd the wheels of the Suns chariot & they put the Sun
* 15 Into the temple of Urizen to give light to the Abyss
* To light the War by day to hide his secret beams by night
* For he divided day & night in different orderd portions
* The day for war the night for secret religion in his templet
* Los reard his mighty stature on Earth stood his feet. Above
* 20 The moon his furious forehead circled with black bursting thunders
* His naked limbs glittring upon the dark blue sky his knees
* Bathed in bloody clouds. his loins in fires of war where spears
* And swords rage where the Eagles cry & the Vultures laugh saying
* Now comes the night of Carnage now the flesh of Kings & Princes
* 25 Pamperd in palaces for our food the blood of Captains nurturd
* With lust & murder for our drink the drunken Raven shall wander
* All night among the slain & mock the wounded that groan in the field
* Tharmas laughd furious among the Banners clothd in blood
* Crying As I will I rend the Nations all asunder rending
* 30 The People, vain their combinations I will scatter them
* But thou O Son whom I have crowned and inthrond thee Strong
* I will preserve tho Enemies arise around thee numberless
* I will command my winds & they shall scatter them or call
* [ page 89 [97] ]
* My Waters like a flood around thee fear not trust in me
* And I will give thee all the ends of heaven for thy possession
* In war shalt thou bear rule in blood shalt thou triumph for me
* Because in times of Everlasting I was rent in sunder
* 5 And what I loved best was divided among my Enemies
* My little daughters were made captives & I saw them beaten
* With whips along the sultry sands. I heard those whom I lovdt
* Crying in secret tents at night & in the morn compelld
* To labour & behold my heart sunk down beneath
* 10 In sighs & sobbings all dividing till I was divided
* In twain & lo my Crystal form that lived in my bosom
* Followd her daughters to the fields of blood they left me naked
* Alone & they refusd to return from the fields of the mighty
* Therefore I will reward them as they have rewarded me
* 15 I will divide them in my anger & thou O my King
* Shalt gather them from out their graves & put thy fetter on them
* And bind them to thee that my crystal form may come to me
* So cried the Demon of the Waters in the Clouds of Los
* Outstretchd upon the hills lay Enitharmon clouds & tempests
* 20 Beat round her head all night all day she riots in Excess
* But night or day Los follows War & the dismal moon rolls over her
* That when Los warrd upon the South reflected the fierce fires
* Of his immortal head into the North upon faint Enitharmon
* Red rage the furies of fierce Orc black thunders roll round Los
* 25 Flaming his head like the bright sun seen thro a mist that magnifies
* His disk into a terrible vision to the Eyes of trembling mortals
* And Enitharmon trembling & in fear utterd these words
* I put not any trust in thee nor in thy glittering scales
* Thy eyelids are a terror to me & the flaming of thy crest
* 30 The rushing of thy Scales confound me thy hoarse rushing scales
* And if that Los had Dot built me a tower upon a rock
* I must have died in the dark desart among noxious worms
* How shall I flee how shall I flee into the tower of Los
* My feet are turned backward & my footsteps slide in clay
* 35 And clouds are closd around my tower my arms labour in vain
* Does not the God of waters in the wracking Elements
* Love those who hate rewarding with hate the Loving Soul
* [ page 90 [98] ]
* And must not I obey the God thou Shadow of Jealousy
* I cry the watchman heareth not I pour my voice in roarings
* Watchman the night is thick & darkness cheats my rayie sight
* Lift up Lift up O Los awake my watchman for he sleepeth
* 5 Lift up Lift up Shine forth O Light watchman thy light is out
* O Los unless thou keep my tower the Watchman will be slain
* So Enitharmon cried upon her terrible Earthy bed
* While the broad Oak wreathd his roots round her forcing his dark way
* Thro caves of death into Existence The Beech long limbd advancd
* 10 Terrific into the paind heavens The fruit trees humanizing
* Shewd their immortal energies in warlike desperation
* Rending the heavens & earths & drinking blood in the hot battle
* To feed their fruit to gratify their hidden sons & daughters
* That far within the close recesses of their secret palaces
* 15 Viewd the vast war & joyd wishing to vegetate
* Into the Worlds of Enitharmon Loud the roaring winds
* Burdend with clouds howl round the Couch sullen the wooly sheep
* Walks thro the battle Dark & fierce the Bull his rage
* Propagates thro the warring Earth The Lion raging in flames
* 20 The Tyger in redounding smoke The Serpent of the woods
* And of the waters & the scorpion of the desart irritate
* With harsh songs every living soul. The Prester Serpent runs
* Along the ranks crying Listen to the Priest of God ye warriors
* This Cowl upon my head he placd in times of Everlasting
* 25 And said Go forth & guide my battles. like the jointed spine
* Of Man I made thee when I blotted Man from life & light
* Take thou the seven Diseases of Man store them for times to come
* In store houses in secret places that I will tell the[e] of
* To be my great & awful curses at the time appointed
* 30 The Prester Serpent ceasd the War song sounded loud & strong
* Thro all the heavens Urizens Web vibrated torment on torment
* [ page 91 SECOND PORTION ]
* Thus in the Caverns of the Grave & Places of human seedt
* The nameless shadowy Vortex stood before the face of Orc
* The Shadow reard her dismal head over the flaming youth
* With sighs & howling & deep sobs that he might lose his rage
* 5 And with it lose himself in meekness she embracd his fire
* As when the Earthquake rouzes from his den his shoulders huge
* Appear above the crumb[l]ing Mountain. Silence waits around him
* A moment then astounding horror belches from the Center
* The fiery dogs arise the shoulders huge appear
* 10 So Orc rolld round his clouds upon the deeps of dark Urthona 1
* Knowing the arts of Urizen were Pity & Meek affection t
* And that by these arts the Serpent form exuded from his limbs
* Silent as despairing love & strong as Jealousy
* Jealous that she was Vala now become Urizens harlot
* 15 And the Harlot of Los & the deluded harlot of the Kings of Earth
* His soul was gnawn in sunder
* The hairy shoulders rend the links free are the wrists of fire
* Red rage redounds he rouzd his lions from his forests black
* They howl around the flaming youth rending the nameless shadow
* 20 And running their immortal course thro solid darkness borne
* Loud sounds the war song round red Orc in his [? triumphant] fury
* And round the nameless shadowy Female in her howling terror
* When all the Elemental Gods joind in the wondrous Song
* Sound the War trumpet terrific Souls clad in attractive steel
* 25 Sound the shrill fife serpents of war. I hear the northern drum
* Awake, I hear the flappings of the folding banners
* The dragons of the North put on their armour
* Upon the Eastern sea direct they take their course
* The glittring of their horses trapping stains the vault of night
* 30 Stop we the rising of the glorious King. spur spur your clouds
* [ page 92 ]
* Of death O northern drum awake O hand of iron sound
* The northern drum. Now give the charge! bravely obscurd!
* With darts of wintry hail. Again the black bow draw
* Again the Elemental Strings to your right breasts draw
* 5And let the thundring drum speed on the arrows black
* The arrows flew from cloudy bow all day. till blood
* From east to west flowd like the human veins in rivers
* Of life upon the plains of death & valleys of despair
* Now sound the clarions of Victory now strip the slain
* 10clothe yourselves in golden arms brothers of war
* They sound the clarions strong they chain the howling captives
* they give the Oath of blood They cast the lots into the helmet,
* They vote the death of Luvah & they naild him to the tree
* They piercd him with a spear & laid him in a sepulcher
* 15To die a death of Six thousand years bound round with desolation
* The sun was black & the moon rolld a useless globe thro heaven
* Then left the Sons of Urizen the plow & harrow the loom
* The hammer & the Chisel & the rule & compasses
* They forgd the sword the chariot of war the battle ax
* 20The trumpet fitted to the battle & the flute of summer
* And all the arts of life they changd into the arts of death
* The hour glass contemnd because its simple workmanship
* Was as the workmanship of the plowman & the water wheel
* That raises water into Cisterns broken & burnd in fire
* 25Because its workmanship was like the workmanship of the Shepherd
* And in their stead intricate wheels invented Wheel without wheel
* To perplex youth in their outgoings & to bind to labours
* Of day & night the myriads of Eternity. that they might file
* And polish brass & iron hour after hour laborious workmanship
* 30Kept ignorant of the use that they might spend the days of wisdom
* In sorrowful drudgery to obtain a scanty pittance of bread
* In ignorance to view a small portion & think that All
* And call it Demonstration blind to all the simple rules of life
* Now now the Battle rages round thy tender limbs O Vala
* 35Now smile among thy bitter tears now put on all thy beauty
* Is not the wound of the sword Sweet & the broken bone delightful
* Wilt thou now smile among the slain when the wounded groan in the field
* [ page 93 ]
* Life up thy blue eyes Vala & put on thy sapphire shoes
* O Melancholy Magdalen behold the morning breaks
* Gird on thy flaming Zone. descend into the Sepulcher
* Scatter the blood from thy golden brow the tears from thy silver locks
* 5Shake off the waters from thy wings & the dust from thy white garments
* Remember all thy feigned terrors on the secret Couch
* When the sun rose in glowing morn with arms of mighty hosts
* Marching to battle who was wont to rise with Urizens harpst
* Girt as a Sower with his seed to scatter life abroad
* 10Arise O Vala bring the bow of Urizen bring the swift arrows of light
* How ragd the golden horses of Urizen bound to the chariot of Love
* Compelld to leave the plow to the Ox to snuff up the winds of desolation
* To trample the corn fields in boastful neighings. this is no gentle harp
* This is no warbling brook nor Shadow of a Myrtle tree
* 15But blood & wounds & dismal cries & clarions of war
* And hearts laid open to the light by the broad grizly sword
* And bowels hidden in hammerd steel rippd forth upon the Groundt
* Call forth thy Smiles of soft deceit call forth thy cloudy tears
* We hear thy sighs in trumpets shrill when Morn shall blood renew
* 20So sung the demons of the deep the Clarions of war blew loud
* Orc rent her & his human form consumd in his own fires
* Mingled with her dolorous members strewn thro the Abyss
* She joyd in all the Conflict Gratified & drinking tears of woe
* No more remaind of Orc but the Serpent round the tree of Mystery
* 25The form of Orc was gone he reard his serpent bulk among
* The stars of Urizen in Power rending the form of lifet
* Into a formless indefinite & strewing her on the Abyss
* Like clouds upon the winter sky broken with winds & thunders
* This was to her Supreme delight The Warriors mournd disappointed
* 30They go out to war with Strong Shouts & loud Clarions O Pity
* They return with lamentations mourning & weeping
* Invisible or visible drawn out in length or stretchd in breadth
* The Shadowy Female varied in the War in her delight
* Howling in discontent black & heavy uttering brute sounds
* 35Wading thro fens among the slimy weeds making Lamentations
* To decieve Tharmas in his rage to soothe his furious soul
* To stay him in his flight that Urizen might live tho in pain
* He said Art thou bright Enion is the Shadow of hope returnd
* And She said Tharmas I am Vala bless thy innocent face
* 40Doth Enion avoid the sight of thy blue watry eyes
* Be not perswaded that the air knows this or the falling dew
* Tharmas replid O Vala once I livd in a garden of delight
* [ page 94 ]
* I wakend Enion in the Morning & she turnd away
* Among the apple trees & all the gardens of delight
* Swam like a dream before my eyes I went to seek the steps
* Of Enion in the gardens & the shadows compassd me
* 5And closd me in a watry world of woe where Enion stood
* Trembling before me like a shadow like a mist like air
* And she is gone & here alone I war with darkness & death
* I hear thy voice but not thy form see. thou & all delight
* And life appear & vanish mocking me with shadows of false hope
* 10 Hast thou forgot that the air listens thro all its districts telling
* The subtlest thoughts shut up from light in chambers of the Moon
* Tharmas. The Moon has chambers where the babes of love lie hid
* And whence they never can be brought in all Eternity
* Unless exposd by their vain parents. Lo him whom I love
* 15Is hidden from me & I never in all Eternity
* Shall see him Enitharmon & Ahania combind with Enion
* Hid him in that Outrageous form of Orc which torments me for Sin
* For all my Secret faults which he brings forth upon the light
* Of day in jealousy & blood my Children are led to Urizens war
* 20Before my eyes & for every one of these I am condemnd 20
* To Eternal torment in these flames for tho I have the power
* To rise on high Yet love here binds me down & never never
* Will I arise till him I love is loosd from this dark chain
* Tharmas replied Vala thy Sins have lost us heaven & bliss
* 25Thou art our Curse and till I can bring love into the light
* I never will depart from my great wrath
* So Tharmas waild wrathful then rode upon the Stormy Deep
* Cursing the Voice that mockd him with false hope in furious mood
* Then She returns swift as a blight upon the infant bud
* 30Howling in all the notes of woe to stay his furious rage
* Stamping the hills wading or swimming flying furious or falling
* Or like an Earthquake rumbling in the bowels of the earth
* Or like a cloud beneath & like a fire flaming in high
* Walking in pleasure of the hills or murmuring in the dales
* 35Like to a rushing torrent beneath & a falling rock above
* A thunder cloud in the south & a lulling voice heard in the north
* And she went forth & saw the forms of Life & of delight
* Walking on Mountains or flying in the open expanse of heaven
* She heard sweet voices in the winds & in the voices of birds
* 40That rose from waters for the waters were as the voice of Luvah
* Not seen to her like waters or like this dark world of death
* Tho all those fair perfections which men know only by name
* In beautiful substantial forms appeard & served her
* As food or drink or ornament or in delightful works
* 45To build her bowers for the Elements brought forth abundantly
* The living soul in glorious forms & every one came forth
* Walking before her Shadowy face & bowing at her feet
* But in vain delights were poured forth on the howling melancholy
* For her delight the horse his proud neck bowd & his white mane
* 50And the Strong Lion deignd in his mouth to wear the golden bit
* While the far beaming Peacock waited on the fragrant wind
* To bring her fruits of sweet delight from trees of richest wonders
* And the strong piniond Eagle bore the fire of heaven in the night season
* Wood & subdud into Eternal Death the Demon Lay
* 55In rage against the dark despair. the howling Melancholy
* [ page 87 [95] FIRST PORTION ]
* For far & wide she stretchd thro all the worlds of Urizens journey
* And was Ajoind to Beulah as the Polypus to the Rock
* Mo[u]rning the daughters of Beulah saw nor could they have sustaind
* The horrid sight of death & torment But the Eternal Promise
* 5They wrote on all their tombs & pillars & on every Urn
* These words If ye will believe your B[r]other shall rise again
* In golden letters ornamented with sweet labours of Love
* Waiting with Patience for the fulfilment of the Promise Divinet
* And all the Songs of Beulah sounded comfortable notes
* 10Not suffring doubt to rise up from the Clouds of the Shadowy Female
* Then myriads of the Dead burst thro the bottoms of their tombs
* Descending on the shadowy females clouds in Spectrous terror
* Beyond the Limit of Translucence on the Lake of Udan Adan
* These they namd Satans & in the Aggregate they namd them Satan
* [ page 95 [87] SECOND PORTION ]
* Then took the tree of Mystery root in the World of Los
* Its topmost boughs shooting a fibre beneath Enitharmons couch
* 25The double rooted Labyrinth soon wavd around their heads
* But then the Spectre enterd Los's bosom Every sigh & groan
* Of Enitharmon bore Urthonas Spectre on its wings
* Obdurate Los felt Pity Enitharmon told the tale
* Of Urthona. Los embracd the Spectre first as a brother
* 30Then as another Self; astonishd humanizing & in tears
* In Self abasement Giving up his Domineering lust
* Thou never canst embrace sweet Enitharmon terrible Demon. Till
* Thou art united with thy Spectre Consummating by pains & labours
* That mortal body & by Self annihilation back returningt
* 35To Life Eternal be assurd I am thy real Self
* Tho thus divided from thee & the Slave of Every passion
* Of thy fierce Soul Unbar the Gates of Memory look upon me
* Not as another but as thy real Self I am thy Spectre
* Thou didst subdue me in old times by thy Immortal Strength
* 40When I was a ravning hungring & thirsting cruel lust & murder
* Tho horrible & Ghastly to thine Eyes tho buried beneath
* The ruins of the Universe. hear what inspird I speak & be silent
* If we unite in one[,] another better world will bet
* Opend within your heart & loins & wondrous brain
* 45Threefold as it was in Eternity & this the fourth Universe
* Will be Renewd by the three & consummated in Mental fires
* But if thou dost refuse Another body will be prepared
* [ page 86 ]
* For me & thou annihilate evaporate & be no more
* For thou art but a form & organ of life & of thyself
* Art nothing being Created Continually by Mercy & Love divine
* Los furious answerd. Spectre horrible thy words astound my Ear
* 5 With irresistible conviction I feel I am not one of those
* Who when convincd can still persist. tho furious.controllable
* By Reasons power. Even I already feel a World within
* Opening its gates & in it all the real substances
* Of which these in the outward World are shadows which pass away
* 10Come then into my Bosom & in thy shadowy arms bring with thee
* My lovely Enitharmon. I will quell my fury & teach
* Peace to the Soul of dark revenge & repentance to Cruelty
* So spoke Los & Embracing Enitharmon & the Spectre
* Clouds would have folded round in Extacy & Love uniting
* [ page 87 ]
* But Enitharmon trembling fled & hid beneath Urizens tree
* But mingling together with his Spectre the Spectre of Urthona
* Wondering beheld the Center opend by Divine Mercy inspired
* He in his turn Gave Tasks to Los Enormous to destroyt
* 5That body he created but in vain for Los performd Wonders of labour
* They Builded Golgonooza Los labouring builded pillars hight
* And Domes terrific in the nether heavens for beneath
* Was opend new heavens & a new Earth beneath & within
* Threefold within the brain within the heart within the loins
* 10A Threefold Atmosphere Sublime continuous from Urthonas worldt
* But yet having a Limit Twofold named Satan & Adam
* But Los stood on the Limit of Translucence weeping & trembling
* Filled with doubts in self accusation beheld the fruitt
* Of Urizens Mysterious tree For Enitharmon thus spake
* 15When In the Deeps beneath I gatherd of this ruddy fruit
* It was by that I knew that I had Sinnd & then I knew
* That without a ransom I could not be savd from Eternal death
* That Life lives upon Death & by devouring appetite
* All things subsist on one another thenceforth in Despair
* 20I spend my glowing time but thou art strong & mighty
* To bear this Self conviction take then Eat thou also of
* The fruit & give me proof of life Eternal or I die
* Then Los plucked the fruit & Eat & sat down in Despair
* And must have given himself to death Eternal But
* 25Urthonas spectre in part mingling with him comforted him
* Being a medium between him & Enitharmon But This Union
* Was not to be Effected without Cares & Sorrows & Troubles
* Of six thousand Years of self denial and of bitter Contrition
* Urthonas Spectre terrified beheld the Spectres of the Dead
* 30Each Male formd without a counterpart without a concentering vision
* The Spectre of Urthona wept before Los Saying I am the cause
* That this dire state commences I began the dreadful state
* Of Separation & on my dark head the curse & punishment
* Must fall unless a way be found to Ransom & Redeemt
* 35But I have thee my [Counterpart Vegetating] miraculoust
* These Spectres have no [Counter(parts)] therefore they ravin
* Without the food of life Let us Create them Coun[terparts]
* For without a Created body the Spectre is Eternal Death
* Los trembling answerd Now I feel the weight of stern repentance
* 40Tremble not so my Enitharmon at the awful gates
* Of thy poor broken Heart I see thee like a shadow withering
* As on the outside of Existence but look! behold! take comfort!
* Turn inwardly thine Eyes & there behold the Lamb of God
* Clothed in Luvahs robes of blood descending to redeem
* 45O Spectre of Urthona take comfort O Enitharmon
* Couldst thou but cease from terror & trembling & affright
* When I appear before thee in forgiveness of ancient injuries
* Why shouldst thou remember & be afraid. I surely have died in pain
* Often enough to convince thy jealousy & fear & terrort
* 50 Come hither be patient let us converse together because
* I also tremble at myself & at all my former life
* Enitharmon answerd I behold the Lamb of God descending
* To Meet these Spectres of the Dead I therefore fear that he
* Will give us to Eternal Death fit punishment for such
* 55 Hideous offenders Uttermost extinction in eternal pain
* An ever dying life of stifling & obstruction shut out
* Of existence to be a sign & terror to all who behold
* Lest any should in futurity do as we have done in heaven
* Such is our state nor will the Son of God redeem us but destroy
* [ page 98 [90] ]
* So Enitharmon spoke trembling & in torrents of tears
* Los sat in Golgonooza in the Gate of Luban wheret
* He had erected many porches where branchd the Mysterious Tree
* Where the Spectrous dead wail & sighing thus he spoke to Enitharmon
* 5 Lovely delight of Men Enitharmon shady refuge from furious war
* Thy bosom translucent is a soft repose for the weeping souls
* Of those piteous victims of battle there they sleep in happy obscurity
* They feed upon our life we are their victims. Stern desire
* I feel to fabricate embodied semblances in which the dead
* 10 May live before us in our palaces & in our gardens of labour
* Which now opend within the Center we behold spread abroad
* To form a world of Sacrifice of brothers & sons & daughters
* To comfort Orc in his dire sufferings[;] look[!] my fires enlume afresh
* Before my face ascending with delight as in ancient times
* 15 Enitharmon spread her beaming locks upon the wind & said
* O Lovely terrible Los wonder of Eternity O Los my defence & guide
* Thy works are all my joy. & in thy fires my soul delights
* If mild they burn in just proportion & in secret night
* And silence build their day in shadow of soft clouds & dews
* 20 Then I can sigh forth on the winds of Golgonooza piteous forms
* That vanish again into my bosom but if thou my Los
* Wilt in sweet moderated fury. fabricate forms sublime
* Such as the piteous spectres may assimilate themselves into
* They shall be ransoms for our Souls that we may live
* 25 So Enitharmon spoke & Los his hands divine inspired began
* To modulate his fires studious the loud roaring flames
* He vanquishd with the strength of Art bending their iron points
* And drawing them forth delighted upon the winds of Golgonooza
* From out the ranks of Urizens war & from the fiery lake
* 30 Of Orc bending down as the binder of the Sheaves follows
* The reaper in both arms embracing the furious raging flames
* Los drew them forth out of the deeps planting his right foot firm
* Upon the Iron crag of Urizen thence springing up aloft
* Into the heavens of Enitharmon in a mighty circle
* 35 And first he drew a line upon the walls of shining heaven
* And Enitharmon tincturd it with beams of blushing love
* It remaind permanent a lovely form inspird divinely human
* Dividing into just proportions Los unwearied labourd
* The immortal lines upon the heavens till with sighs of love
* 40 Sweet Enitharmon mild Entrancd breathd forth upon the wind
* The spectrous dead Weeping the Spectres viewd the immortal works
* Of Los Assimilating to those forms Embodied & Lovely
* In youth & beauty in the arms of Enitharmon mild reposing
* First Rintrah & then Palamabron drawn from out the ranks of war
* 45 In infant innocence reposd on Enitharmons bosom
* Orc was comforted in the deeps his soul revivd in them
* As the Eldest brother is the fathers image So Orc became
* As Los a father to his brethren & he joyd in the dark lake
* Tho bound with chains of Jealousy & in scales of iron & brass
* 50 But Los loved them & refusd to Sacrifice their infant limbs
* And Enitharmons smiles & tears prevaild over self protection
* They rather chose to meet Eternal death than to destroy
* The offspring of their Care & Pity Urthonas spectre was comforted
* But Tharmas most rejoicd in hope of Enions return
* 55 For he beheld new Female forms born forth upon the air
* Who wove soft silken veils of covering in sweet rapturd trance
* Mortal & not as Enitharmon without a covering veil
* First his immortal spirit drew Urizen[s] Shadow away
* From out the ranks of war separating him in sunder
* 60 Leaving his Spectrous form which could not be drawn away
* Then he divided Thiriel the Eldest of Urizens sons
* Urizen became Rintrah Thiriel became Palamabron
* Thus dividing the powers of Every Warrior
* Startled was Los he found his Enemy Urizen now
* 65 In his hands. he wonderd that he felt love & not hate
* His whole soul loved him he beheld him an infant
* Lovely breathd from Enitharmon he trembled within himself
* [ page 90 [98] ]
* End of the Seventh Night

## Notes

This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.
Public domainPublic domainfalsefalse