Introduction to a Prophesy by William Blake
Five windows light the cavern'd Man; thro' one he breathes the air;
Thro' one, hears music of the spheres; thro' one, the eternal vine
Flourishes, that he may receive the grapes'; thro’ one can look . .
And see Small portions of the eternal world that ever groweth;
Thro’ one, himself pats out what time he please, but he will not;
For stolen joys are sweet, & bread eaten in secret pleasant.
So sang a fairy mocking as he sat on a streak’d Tulip,
Thinking none saw him: when he ceas’d I started from the trees’:
And caught him in my hat as boys knock down a butterfly.
How know you this said I small Sir? Where did you learn this song
Seeing himself in my possession thus he answer’d me:
My master I am yours. Command me for I must obey.
Then tell me what is the material world and is it dead?
He laughing answered: I will write a book on leaves of flowers,
If you will feed me on love-thoughts. & give me now and then.
A cup of sparkling poetic fancies: so when I am tipsie,
I’ll sing to you to this soft lute: and shew you all alive
The world, when every particle of dust breathes forth its joy.
I took him home in my warm bosom: as we went along
Wild flowers I gather’d: & he shew’d me each eternal flower
He laughed aloud to see them whimper because they were plucked.
They hovered round me like a cloud of incense: when I came
Into my parlour and sat down and took my pen to write:
My Fairy sat upon the table and dictated EUROPE.
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