Classic Poem

A Revelation In the Visions of Jehovah

Seen by William Blake

To Lord Byron in the Wilderness
What doest thou here Elijah?
Can a Poet doubt the Visions of Jehovah? Nature has
no Outline: but Imagination has. Nature has no Tune:
but Imagination has! Nature has no Supernatural &
dissolves: Imagination is Eternity

Scene. A rocky Country. Eve fainted over the dead body of Abel which lays near a Grave. Adam kneels by her Jehovah stands above.

Jehovah: Adam!
Adam: I will not hear thee more thou Spiritual Voice
Is this Death?
Jehovah: Adam!
Adam: It is in vain: I will not hear thee
Henceforth! Is this thy Promise that the Womans Seed
Should bruise the Serpents head: Is this the Serpent? Ah!
Seven times, O Eve thou hast fainted over the Dead. Ah! Ah!

Eve revives.

Eve: Is this the Promise of Jehovah! O it is all a vain delusion
This Death & this Life & this Jehovah!
Jehovah: Woman: lift thine eyes

A Voice is heard coming on.

Voice: O Earth cover not thou my Blood! cover not thou my Blood

Enter the Ghost of Abel.

Eve: Thou Visionary Phantasm thou art not the real Abel.
Abel: Among the Elohim a Human Victim I wander I am their House
Prince of the Air & our dimensions compass Zenith & Nadir
Vain is thy Covenant O Jehovah I am the Accuser & Avenger
Of Blood O Earth Cover not thou the Blood of Abel
Jehovah: What Vengeance dost thou require
Abel: Life for Life! Life for Life!
Jehovah: He who shall take Cains life must also Die O Abel
And who is he? Adam wilt thou, or Eve thou do this
Adam: It is all a Vain delusion of the all creative Imagination
Eve come away & let us not believe these vain delusions
Abel is dead & Cain slew him! We shall also Die a Death
And then! what then? be as poor Abel a Thought: or as
This! O what shall I call thee Form Divine! Father of Mercies
That appearest to my Spiritual Vision: Eve seest thou also.
Eve: I see him plainly with my Minds Eye. I see also Abel living:
Tho terribly afflicted as We also are, yet Jehovah sees him
Alive & not Dead: were it not better to believe Vision
With all our might & strength tho we are fallen & lost
Adam: Eve thou hast spoken truly. let us kneel before his feet.

They Kneel before Jehovah.

Abel: Are these the Sacrifices of Eternity O Jehovah, a Broken Spirit
And a Contrite Heart. O I cannot Forgive! the Accuser hath
Enterd into Me as into his House & I loathe thy Tabernacles
As thou hast said so is it come to pass: My desire is unto Cain
And He doth rule over Me: therefore My Soul in fumes of Blood
Cries for Vengeance: Sacrifice on Sacrifice Blood on Blood
Jehovah: Lo I have given you a Lamb for an Atonement instead
Of the Transgres[s]or, or no Flesh or Spirit could ever Live
Abel: Compelled I cry O Earth cover not the Blood of Abel

Abel sinks down into the Grave from which arises Satan

Armed in glittering scales with a Crown & a Spear.

Satan: I will have Human Blood & not the blood of Bulls or Goats
And no Atonement O Jehovah the Elohim live on Sacrifice
Of Men: hence I am God of Men: Thou Human O Jehovah.
By the Rock & Oak of the Druid creeping Mistletoe & Thorn
Cains City built with Human Blood, not Blood of Bulls & Goats
Thou shalt Thyself be Sacrificed to Me thy God on Calvary
Jehovah: Such is My Will. Thunders.
that Thou Thyself go to Eternal Death
In Self Annihilation even till Satan Self-subdud Put off Satan
Into the Bottomless Abyss whose torment arises for ever & ever.

On each side a Chrous of Angels entering Sing the following:

The Elohim of the Heathen Swore Vengeance for Sin! Then Thou stoodst
Forth O Elohim Jehovah! in the midst of the darkness of the Oath! All Clothed
In Thy Covenant of the Forgiveness of Sins: Death O Holy! Is this Brotherhood
The Elohim saw their Oath Eternal Fire; they rolled apart trembling over The
Mercy Seat: each in his station fixt in the Firmament by Peace Brotherhood and Love.

The Curtain falls.