William Blake

Children of the future age Reading this indignant page Know that in a former time Love, sweet love, was thought a crime

The moon, like a flower in heaven's high bower, with silent delight sits and smiles on the night.

He who replies to words of doubt doth put the light of knowledge out.

Oh! why was I born with a different face? why was I not born like the rest of my race? when I look,each one starts! when I speak, I offend; then Im silent & passive & lose every friend. Then my verse I dishonour, my pictures despise, my person degrade & my temper chastise; and the pen is my terror, the pencil my shame; all my talents I bury, and dead is my fame. Im either too low or too highly prized; when elate I m envy'd, when meek Im despis'd

A robin redbreast in a cage Puts all heaven in a rage.

I went to the Garden of Love, And saw what I never had seen: A Chapel was built in the midst, Where I used to play on the green. And the gates of this Chapel were shut, And 'Thou shalt not' writ over the door; So I turn'd to the Garden of Love, That so many sweet flowers bore. And I saw it was filled with graves, And tomb-stones where flowers should be: And Priests in black gowns, were walking their rounds, And binding with briars, my joys & desires.

Auguries of innocence "The emmet's inch and eagle's mile Make lame philosophy to smile. He who doubts from what he sees Will ne'er believe, do what you please.

Down the winding cavern we groped our tedious way, till a void boundless as the nether sky appeared beneath us, and we held by the roots of trees and hung over this immensity; but I said: if you please we will commit ourselves to this void and see whether providence is here also.

LOVE'S SECRET Never seek to tell thy love, Love that never told can be; For the gentle wind doth move Silently, invisibly. I told my love, I told my love, I told her all my heart, Trembling, cold, in ghastly fears. Ah! she did depart! Soon after she was gone from me, A traveller came by, Silently, invisibly: He took her with a sigh.

In the universe, there are things that are known, and things that are unknown, and in between, there are doors.

When nations grow old the Arts grow cold And commerce settles on every tree

And priests in black gowns were walking their rounds and binding with briars my joys and desires. (from 'The Garden of Love')

I give you the end of a golden string, Only wind it into a ball, It will lead you in at Heaven's gate Built in Jerusalem's wall.

And we are put on earth a little space, That we may learn to bear the beams of love.

To cast aside from Poetry, all that is not Inspiration

The crow wished everything was black, the Owl, that everything was white.

thus men forgot that all deities reside in the human breast.

But to go to school in a summer morn, O! It drives all joy away; Under a cruel eye outworn, The little ones spend the day In sighing and dismay.

I myself do nothing. The Holy Spirit accomplishes all through me.

For I dance And drink and sing, Till some blind hand Shall brush my wing. If thought is life And strength and breath And the want Of thought is death Then am I A happy fly If I live Or if I die

The imagination is not a state: it is the human existence itself.