Classic Poem

VALA

NIGHT THE FIRST

The Song of the Aged Mother which shook the heavens with wrath
Hearing the march of long resounding strong heroic Verse
Marshalld in order for the day of Intellectual Battle
The heavens quake, the earth was moved & shudderd & the mountains
With all their woods, the streams & valleys: waild in dismal fear]

Four Mighty Ones are in every Man: a Perfect Unity
Cannot Exist. but from the Universal Brotherhood of Eden
The Universal Man. To Whom be Glory Evermore Amen

What are the Natures of those Living Creatures the Heavenly Father only
Knoweth [ Individual Man knoweth not ] No Individual Knoweth nor Can know in all Eternity
Los was the fourth immortal starry one, & in the Earth
Of a bright Universe, Empery attended day & night
Days & nights of revolving joy, Urthona was his name

In Eden; in the Auricular Nerves of Human Life,
Which is the Earth of Eden, he his Emanations propagated
Fairies of Albion afterwards Gods of the Heathen
[ Like Sons & Daughters ] Daughter of Beulah Sing
His fall into Division & his Resurrection to Unity
His fall into the Generation of decay & death & his
Regeneration by the Resurrection from the dead
Begin with Tharmas Parent power. darkning in the West

Lost! Lost! Lost! are my Emanations Enion [ come forth ] O Enion
[ I am ] We are become a Victim to the Living [ I ] We hide in secret
I have hidden [ thee Enion in Jealous Despair ] Jerusalem in Silent Contrition O Pity Me
I will build thee a Labyrinth [ where we may remain for ever alone ] also O pity me O Enion
Why hast thou taken sweet Jerusalem from my inmost Soul
Let her Lay secret in the Soft recess of darkness & silence
It is not Love I bear to Enitharmon It is Pity
She hath taken refuge in my bosom & I cannot cast her out.

The Men have recieved their death wounds & their Emanations are fled
To me for refuge & I cannot turn them out for Pitys sake

Enion said — [ His ] Thy fear has made me tremble thy terrors have surrounded me
All Love is lost Terror succeeds & Hatred instead of Love
And stern demands of Right & Duty instead of Liberty
Once thou wast to Me the loveliest son of heaven — But now
Why art thou Terrible and yet I love thee in thy terror till
I am almost Extinct & soon shall be a shadow in Oblivion
Unless some way can be found that I may look upon thee & live
Hide me some shadowy semblance. secret whispring in my Ear
In secret of Soft Wings. in mazes of delusive beauty
I have lookd into the secret soul of him I lovd,
And in the Dark recesses found Sin & cannot return

Trembling & pale sat Tharmas weeping in his clouds

Why wilt thou Examine every little fibre of my soul
Spreading them out before the Sun like Stalks of flax to dry
The infant joy is beautiful but its anatomy
Horrible Ghast & Deadly nought shalt thou find in it
But Death Despair & Everlasting brooding Melancholy

Thou wilt go mad with horror if thou dost Examine thus
Every moment of my secret hours Yea I know
That I have sinnd & that my Emanations are become harlots
I am already distracted at their deeds & if I look
Upon them more Despair will bring self murder on my soul
O Enion thou art thyself a root growing in hell
Tho thus heavenly beautiful to draw me to destruction

Sometimes I think thou art a flower expanding
Sometimes I think thou art fruit breaking from its bud
In dreadful dolor & pain & I am like an atom
A Nothing left in darkness yet I am an identity
I wish & feel & weep & groan Ah terrible terrible

In [ Beulah ] Eden Females sleep the winter in soft silken veils
Woven by their own hands to hide them in the darksom grave
But Males immortal live renewd by female deaths. in soft
Delight they die & they revive in spring with music & songs
Enion said Farewell I die I hide from thy searching eyes
So saying — From her bosom weaving soft in Sinewy threads
A tabernacle [ of delight/for Enitharmon ] for Jerusalem She sat among the Rocks
Singing her lamentation. Tharmas groand among his Clouds
Weeping, [ and ] then bending from his Clouds he stoopd his innocent head
And stretching out his holy hand in the vast Deep sublime
Turnd round the circle of Destiny with tears & bitter sighs
And said. Return O Wanderer when the Day of Clouds is oer

So saying he sunk down into the sea a pale white corse
[ So saying ] In torment he sunk down & flowd among her filmy Woof
His Spectre issuing from his feet in flames of fire
In [ dismal ] gnawing pain drawn out by her lovd fingers every nerve

She counted. every vein & lacteal threading them among
Her woof of terror. Terrified & drinking tears of woe
Shuddring she wove. — nine days & night Sleepless her food was tears
Wondring she saw her woof begin to animate. & not
As Garments woven subservient to her hands but having a will
Of its own perverse & wayward Enion Lovd & wept

Nine days she labourd at her work & nine dark sleepless nights
But on the tenth [ ?dread ] trembling morn the Circle of Destiny Complete
Round rolld the Sea Englobing in a watry Globe self balancd
A Frowning Continent appeard Where Enion in the desart
Terrified in her own Creation viewing her woven shadow
Sat in a [ sweet ] dread intoxication of [ false woven bliss/soft woven sorrow ] Repentance & Contrition

There is from Great Eternity a mild & pleasant rest
Namd Beulah a Soft Moony Universe feminine lovely
Pure mild & Gentle given in Mercy to those who sleep
Eternally. Created by the Lamb of God around
On all sides within & without the Universal Man
The Daughters of Beaulah follow sleepers in all their [ wanderings ] Dreams
Creating Spaces lest they fall into Eternal Death
The Circle of Destiny complete they gave to it a Space
And namd the Space Ulro & brooded over it in care & love

They said The Spectre is in every man insane & most
Deformd Thro the three heavens descending in fury & fire
We meet it with our Songs & loving blandishments & give
To it a form of vegetation But this Spectre of Tharmas
Is Eternal Death What shall we do O God [ help ] pity & help
So spoke they & closd the Gate of [ Auricular power/nerves ] the Tongue in trembling fear

[He spurnd Enion with his foot he sprang aloft in Clouds
Alighting in his drunken joy in a far distant Grove]
[What have I done said Enion accursed wretch! What deed.
Is this a deed of Love I know what I have done. I know
Too late now to repent. Love is changd to deadly Hate,
A life is blotted out & I alone remain possessd with Fears
I see the (remembrance) shadow of the dead within my (eyes) soul wandering
In darkness & solitude forming Seas of (Trouble) Doubt & rocks of (sorrow) Repentance
Already are my Eyes reverted. all that I behold
Within my soul has lost its splendor & a brooding Fear
Shadows me oer & drives me outward to a world of woe
So waild she trembling before her own Created Phantasm]
[But standing on the Rocks her woven shadow glowing bright]
Who animating times on times by the force of her sweet song

She drew the Spectre forth from Tharmas in [ her silken ] her shining loom
Of vegetation weeping in wayward infancy & sullen youth
Listning to her soft lamentations soon his tongue began
To Lisp out words & soon in masculine strength augmenting he
Reard up a form of gold & stood upon the glittering rock
A shadowy human form winged & in his depths
The dazzlings as of gems shone clear, rapturous in [ joy ] fury
Glorying in his own eyes Exalted in terrific Pride

[Searching for glory wishing that the heavens had eyes to See
And courting that the Earth would ope her Eyelids & behold
Such wondrous beauty repining in the midst of all his glory
That nought but Enion could be found to praise adore & love
Three days in self admiring raptures on the rocks he flamd
And three dark nights repind the solitude. but the third morn
Astonishd he found Enion hidden in the darksome Cave

She spoke What am I wherefore was I put forth on these rocks
Among the Clouds to tremble in the wind in solitude
Where is the voice that lately woke the desart Where the Face
That wept among the clouds & where the voice that shall reply
No other living thing is here. The Sea the Earth. the Heaven
And Enion desolate where art thou Tharmas O return
Three days she waild & three dark nights sitting among the Rocks
While the bright spectre hid himself among the ?trailing clouds
Then sleep fell on her eyelids in a Chasm of the Valley
The Sixteenth morn the Spectre stood before her manifest]
The Spectre thus spoke. (Art thou not my slave & shalt thou dare
To smite me with thy tongue beware lest I sting also thee) Who art thou Diminutive husk & shell
Broke from my bonds I scorn my prison I scorn & yet I love
If thou hast sinnd & art polluted know that I am pure
And unpolluted & will bring to rigid strict account
All thy past deeds hear what I tell thee! mark it well! remember!
This world is (Mine) Thine in which thou dwellest that within thy soul
That dark & dismal infinite where Thought roams up & down
Is (thine) Mine & there thou goest when with one Sting of my tongue
Envenomed thou rollst inward to the place (of death & hell) whence I emergd

She trembling answerd Wherefore was I born & what am I
A sorrow & a fear a living torment & naked Victim
I thought to weave a Covering (from) for my Sins from wrath of Tharmas]
[Examining the sins of Tharmas I (have) soon found my own
O slay me not thou art his Wrath embodied in Deceit]
[I thought Tharmas a Sinner & murderd his Emanations
His secret loves & Graces Ah me wretched What have I done
(But) For now I find that all those Emanations were my Childrens Souls
And I have murderd them with Cruelty above atonement
Those that remain have fled from my cruelty into the desarts
(Among wild beasts to roam) And thou the delusive tempter to these deeds sittest before me
(But where is/Thou art not) And art thou Tharmas all thy soft delusive beauty cannot
Tempt me to murder (honest love) my own soul & wipe my tears & smile
In this thy world (for ah! how) not mine! tho dark I feel my world within

The Spectre said Thou sinful Woman. was it thy Desire
That I should hide thee with my power & delight thee with my beauty

And now thou darknest in my presence. never from my sight
Shalt thou depart to weep in secret. In my jealous wings
I evermore will hold thee when thou goest out or comest in
Tis thou has darkend all My World O Woman lovely bane]

[Thus they contended all the day among the Caves of Tharmas
Twisting in fearful forms & howling, howling harsh shrieking
Howling harsh shrieking, mingling their bodies join in burning anguish]

Opening his rifted rocks mingling together they join in burning anguish
Mingling his [ horrible/terrible ] horrible [ brightness ] darkness with her tender limbs then high she soard
Shrieking above the ocean: a bright wonder that [ Beulah ] nature shudderd at

Half Woman & half [ Spectre/Serpent ] desart all his [ lovely changing ] darkly waving colours mix
With her fair crystal clearness in her lips & cheeks his [ poisons ] metals rose
In blushes like the morning & his [ scaly armour ] rocky features softning

A [ monster ] wonder lovely in the heavens or wandring on the earth
With [ Spectre ] female voice [ incessant wailing in incessant thirst ] warbling upon the hollow vales
Beauty all blushing with desire [ mocking her fell despair ] a self enjoying wonder

[ Wandering desolate, a wonder abhorr'd by Gods & men ]
For Enion brooded groaning loud the rough seas vegetate.
Golden rocks rise from the [ vortex ] vast
And thus her voice. Glory, delight: & sweet enjoyment born
To mild Eternity shut in a threefold shape delightful
To wander in sweet solitude enrapturd at every wind

Till with fierce pain she brought forth on the rocks her sorrow & woe
Behold two little Infants wept upon the desolate wind.

The first state weeping they began & helpless as a wave
Beaten along its sightless way growing enormous in its motion to
Its utmost goal, till strength from Enion like richest summer shining
Raisd the [ bright/fierce ] bright boy & girl with glories from their heads out beaming
Drawing forth drooping mothers pity drooping mothers sorrow
[But those in Great Eternity Met in the Council of God
As One Man hovering over Gilead & Hermon
He is the Good Shepherd He is the Lord & Master
To Create Man Morning by Morning by Morning to Give gifts at Noon day]
[Enion brooded, oer the rocks, the rough rocks groaning vegetate
Such power was given to the Solitary wanderer.
The barked Oak, the long limbd Beech; the Ches'nut tree; the Pine.
The Pear tree mild, the frowning Walnut, the sharp Crab, & Apple sweet,
The rough bark opens; twittering peep forth little beaks & wings
The Nightingale, the Goldfinch, Robin, Lark, Linnet & Thrush
The Goat leap'd from the craggy cliff the Sheep awoke from the mould
Upon its green stalk rose the Corn, waving innumerable
Infolding the bright Infants from the desolating winds]

They sulk upon her breast her hair became like snow on mountains
Weaker & weaker, weeping woful, wearier and wearier
Faded & her bright Eyes decayd melted with pity & love

And then they wander'd far away she sought for them in vain
In weeping blindness stumbling she followd them oer rocks & mountains
Rehumanizing from the Spectre in pangs of maternal love
Ingrate they wanderd scorning her drawing her [ life; ingrate ] Spectrous Life
Repelling her away & away by a dread repulsive power
Into Non Entity revolving round in dark despair.
And drawing in the Spectrous life in pride and haughty joy
Thus Enion gave them all her spectrous life [ in deep despair ]

Then [ Ona ] Eno a daughter of Beulah took a Moment of Time
And drew it out to [ twenty years ] Seven thousand years with much care & affliction
And many tears & in the [ twenty ] Every year [ gave visions toward heaven ] made windows into Eden
She also took an atom of space & opend its center
Into Infinitude & ornamented it with wondrous art
Astonishd sat her Sisters of Beulah to see her soft affections
To Enion & her children & they ponderd these things wondring
And they Alternate kept watch over the Youthful terrors
They saw not yet the Hand Divine for it was not yet reveald
But they went on in Silent Hope & Feminine repose

But Los & Enitharmon delighted in the Moony spaces of [ Ona ] Eno
Nine Times they livd among the forests, feeding on sweet fruits
And nine bright Spaces wanderd weaving mazes of delight
Snaring the wild Goats for their milk they eat the flesh of Lambs
A male & female naked & ruddy as the pride of summer
Alternate Love & Hate his breast; hers Scorn & Jealousy
In embryon passions. they kiss'd not nor embrac'd for shame & fear
His head beamd light & in his vigorous voice was prophecy
He could controll the times & seasons, & the days & years
She could controll the spaces, regions, desart, flood & forest
But had no power to weave a Veil of covering for her Sins
She drave the Females all away from Los
And Los drave all the Males from her away
They wanderd long, till they sat down upon the margind sea.
Conversing with the visions of Beulah in dark slumberous bliss

[Nine years they view the ?gleaming spheres? reading the Visions of Beulah]
But the two youthful wonders wanderd in the world of Tharmas
Thy name is Enitharmon; said the [ bright ] fierce prophetic boy
While thy mild voice fills all these Caverns with sweet harmony
O how [ thy ] our Parents sit & [ weep ] mourn in their silent secret bowers

But Enitharmon answerd with a dropping tear & [ ?smiling ] frowning
[ Bright ] Dark as a dewy morning when the crimson light appears
To make us happy [ how they ] let them weary their immortal powers
While we draw in their sweet delights while we return them scorn
On scorn to feed our discontent; for if we grateful prove
They will withhold sweet love, whose food is thorns & bitter roots.
We hear the warlike clarions we view the turning spheres
Yet Thou in indolence reposest holding me in bonds

Hear! I will sing a Song of Death! it is a Song of Vala!
The Fallen Man takes his repose: Urizen sleeps in the porch
Luvah and Vala [ wake & fly ] woke & flew up from the Human Heart
Into the Brain; from thence upon the pillow Vala slumber'd.
And Luvah siez'd the Horses of Light, & rose into the Chariot of Day
Sweet laughter siezd me in my sleep! silent & close I laughd
For in the visions of Vala I walkd with the mighty Fallen One
I heard his voice among the branches, & among sweet flowers.

Why is the light of Enitharmon darken'd in [ her ] dewy morn
Why is the silence of Enitharmon a [ cloud ] terror & her smile a whirlwind
Uttering this darkness in my halls, in the pillars of my Holy-ones
Why dost thou weep as Vala? & wet thy veil with dewy tears,
In slumbers of my night-repose, infusing a false morning?
Driving the Female Emanations all away from Los
I have refused to look upon the Universal Vision
And wilt thou slay with death him who devotes himself to thee
[If thou drivest all the (Males) Females away from (Vala) Luvah I will drive all
The Males away from thee]
Once born for the sport & amusement of Man now born to drink up all his Powers

I heard the sounding sea; I heard the voice weaker and weaker;
The voice came & went like a dream, I awoke in my sweet bliss.

Then Los smote her upon the Earth twas long eer she revivd
[ Los ] He answer'd, darkning [ with foul ] more with indignation hid in smiles

I die not Enitharmon tho thou singst thy Song of Death
Nor shalt thou me torment. For I behold the [ Eternal ] Fallen Man
Seeking to comfort Vala, she will not be comforted
She rises from his throne and seeks the shadows of her garden
Weeping for Luvah lost, in the bloody beams of your false morning
Sickning lies the [ Eternal ] Fallen Man his head sick his heart faint
Mighty atchievement of your power! Beware the punishment

[Refusing to behold the Divine image which all behold
And live thereby, he is sunk down into a deadly sleep
But we immortal in our own strength survive by stern debate
Till we have drawn the Lamb of God into a mortal form
And that he must be born is certain for One must be All
And comprehend within himself all things both small & great
We therefore for whose sake all things aspire to be & live
Will so recieve the Divine Image that amongst the Reprobate
He may be devoted to Destruction from his mothers womb]

I see, invisible descend into the Gardens of Vala
Luvah walking on the winds, I see the invisible knife
I see the shower of blood: I see the swords & spears of futurity
Tho in the Brain of Man we live, & in his circling Nerves.
Tho' this bright world of all our joy is in the Human Brain.
Where Urizen & all his Hosts hang their immortal lamps
Thou neer shalt leave this cold expanse where watry Tharmas mourns

So spoke Los. Scorn & Indignation rose upon Enitharmon
Then Enitharmon reddning fierce stretchd her immortal hands

Descend O Urizen descend with horse & chariots
Threaten not me O visionary thine the punishment
The Human Nature shall no more remain nor Human acts
Form the [ free ] rebellious Spirits of Heaven. but War & Princedom & Victory & Blood

Night darkend as she spoke! a shuddring ran from East to West
A Groan was heard on high. The warlike clarions ceast. the Spirits
Of Luvah & Vala shudderd in their Orb: an orb of blood!

Eternity groand & was troubled at the Image of Eternal Death
The Wandering Man bow'd his faint head and Urizen descended
And the one must have murderd the other if he had not descended
Indignant muttering low thunders; Urizen descended
Gloomy sounding, Now I am God from Eternity to Eternity
Sullen sat Los plotting Revenge. Silent he [ Urizen ] eye'd the Prince
Of Light. Silent the prince of Light viewd Los. at length a brooded
Smile broke from Urizen for Enitharmon brightend more & more
Sullen he lowerd on Enitharmon but he smild on Los

Saying Thou art the Lord of Luvah into thine hands I give
The prince of Love the murderer his soul is in thine hands
Pity not Vala for she pitied not the Eternal Man
Nor pity thou the cries of Luvah. Lo these starry hosts
They are thy servants if thou wilt obey my awful Law

Los answered furious art thou one of those who when most complacent
Mean mischief most. If you are such Lo! I am also such
One must be master. try thy Arts I also will try mine
For I percieve Thou hast Abundance which I claim as mine

Urizen startled stood but not Long soon he cried
Obey my voice young Demon I am God from Eternity to Eternity

Thus Urizen spoke collected in himself in awful pride
Art thou a visionary of Jesus the soft delusion of Eternity
Lo I am God the terrible destroyer & not the Saviour
Why should the Divine Vision compell the sons of Eden
to forego each his own delight to war against his Spectre
The Spectre is the Man the rest is only delusion & fancy

So spoke the Prince of Light & sat beside the Seat of Los
Upon the sandy shore rested his chariot of fire
Ten thousand thousand were his hosts of spirits on the wind:
Ten thousand thousand glittering Chariots shining in the sky:
They pour upon the golden shore beside the silent ocean.
Rejoicing in the Victory & the heavens were filld with blood

The Earth spread forth her table wide. the Night a silver cup
Fill'd with the wine of anguish waited at the golden feast
But the bright Sun was not as yet; he filling all the expanse
Slept as a bird in the blue shell that soon shall burst away

Los saw the wound of his blow he saw he pitied he wept
Los now repented that he had smitten Enitharmon he felt love
Arise in all his Veins he threw his arms around her loins
To heal the wound of his smiting

They eat the fleshly bread, they drank the nervous wine

They listend to the Elemental Harps & Sphery Song
They view'd the dancing Hours, quick sporting thro' the sky
With winged radiance scattering joys thro the ever changing light

But Luvah & Vala standing in the bloody sky
On high remaind alone forsaken in fierce jealousy
They stood above the heavens forsaken desolate suspended in blood
Descend they could not. nor from Each other avert their eyes
Eternity appeard above them as One Man infolded
In Luvah[s] robes of blood & bearing all his afflictions
As the sun shines down on the misty earth Such was the Vision

But purple night and crimson morning & golden day descending
Thro' the clear changing atmosphere display'd green fields among
The varying clouds, like paradises stretch'd in the expanse
With towns & villages and temples, tents sheep-folds and pastures
Where dwell the children of the elemental worlds in harmony.
Not long in harmony they dwell, their life is drawn away
And wintry woes succeed; successive driven into the Void
Where Enion craves: successive drawn into the golden feast

And Los & Enitharmon sat in discontent & scorn
The Nuptial Song arose from all the thousand thousand spirits
Over the joyful Earth & Sea, and ascended into the Heavens
For Elemental Gods their thunderous Organs blew; creating
Delicious Viands. Demons of Waves their watry Eccho's woke!
[ ?Elements ] Bright Souls of vegetative life, budding and blossoming

Stretch their immortal hands to smite the gold & silver Wires
And with immortal Voice soft warbling fill all Earth & Heaven.
With doubling Voices & loud Horns wound round sounding
Cavernous dwellers fill'd the enormous Revelry, Responsing!
And Spirits of Flaming fire on high, govern'd the mighty Song.

And This the Song! sung at The Feast of Los & Enitharmon

[ The Mountain ] Ephraim calld out to [ The Mountain ] Zion: Awake O Brother Mountain
Let us refuse the Plow & Spade, the heavy Roller & spiked
Harrow. burn all these Corn fields. throw down all these fences
Fattend on Human blood & drunk with wine of life is better far

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
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

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
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
And Thou O Enitharmon! Hark I hear the hammers of Los.

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 joins of Enitharmon, Thou fierce Terror
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
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.
[ 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.

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
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.

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
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.
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
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 command 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.

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
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
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
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
The Mans exteriors are become indefinite opend to pain
In a fierce hungring void & none can visit his regions.

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
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.

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
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.