Date: Thu, 28 Nov 1996 19:40:35 -0800 (PST)
From: Ralph Dumain <rdumain-AT-igc.apc.org>
To: blake-AT-albion.com
Subject: THANKSGIVING BLAKE
Cc: rdumain-AT-igc.org


 
               VALA, OR THE FOUR ZOAS
        The torments of Love & Jealousy in 
     The Death and Judgement of the Ancient Man
                    (1795-1804)
 
                  by William Blake
              (born 28 November 1757)
 
Excerpts from Night the Ninth, Being The Last Judgment:
 
 
And One of the Eternals spoke.  All was silent at the feast.
 
"Man is a worm; wearied with joy, he seeks the caves of sleep
"Among the Flowers of Beulah, in his selfish cold repose
"Forsaking Brotherhood & Universal Love, in selfish clay
"Folding the pure wings of his mind, seeking the places dark
"Abstracted from the roots of Science; then inclos'd around
"In walls of Gold we cast him like a Seed into the Earth
"Till times & spaces have pass'd over him; duly every morn
"We visit him, covering with a veil the immortal seed;
"With windows from the inclement sky we cover him, & with walls
"And hearths protect the selfish terror, till divided all
"In families we see our shadows born, & thence we know
"That Man subsists by Bortherhood & Universal Love.
"We fall on one another's necks, more closely we embrace.
"Not for ourselves, but for the Eternal family we live.
"Man liveth not by Self alone, but in his brother's face
"Each shall behold the eternal Father & love & joy abound."
                                  (lines 626-642)
 
"Let the slave, grinding at the mill, run out into the field;
"Let him look up into the heavens & laugh in the bright air.
"Let the inchained soul, shut up in darkness & in sighing,
"Whose face has never seen a smile in thirty weary years,
"Rise & look out: his chains are loose, his dungeon doors 
      are open;
"And let his wife & children return from the opressor's scourge.
 
"They look behind at every step & believe it is a dream.
"Are these the slaves that groan'd along the streets of Mystery?
"Where are your bonds & task masters? are these the prisoners?
"Where are your chains? where are your tears? why do you 
      look around?
"If you are thirsty; there is the river; go, bathe your 
      parched limbs,
"The good of all the Land is before you, for Mystery is no more."
 
Then All the Slaves from every Earth in the wide Universe
Sing a New Song, drowning confusion in its happy notes,
While the flail of Urizen sounded loud, & the winnowing wind
      of Tharmas
So loud, so clear in the wide heavens; & the song that they sung 
      was this,
Composed by an African Black from the little Earth of Sotha:
 
"Aha! Aha! how came I here so soon in my sweet native land?
"How came I here? Methinks I am as I was in my youth
"When in my father's house I sat & heard his chearing voice.
"Methinks I see his flocks & herds & feel my limbs renew'd,
"And Lo, my Brethren in their tents, & their little ones 
      around them!"
                                      (lines 670-691)
 
The Sun arises from his dewy bed, & the fresh airs
Play in his smiling beams giving the seeds of life to grow,
And the fresh Earth beams forth ten thousand springs of life.
Urthona is arisen in his strength, no longer now
Divided from Enitharmon, no longer the Spectre Los.
Where is the Spectre of Prophecy? where the delusive Phantom?
Departed: & Urthona rises from the ruinous Walls
In all his ancient strength to form the golden armour of science
For intellectual War. The war of swords departed now,
The dark religions are departed & sweet Science reigns.
                                     (lines 846-855)
             End of the Dream
 
      *       *       *      *      *      *
 
Thank _you_, William Blake!
My excess of sorrow laughs, my excess of joy weeps!
In immeasurable exaltation, my tears chase down my cheeks. 
You fed my soul, you fed my mind,
in a world of the mentally blind.
 
    --- Ralph Dumain
        Thanksgiving Day
        28 November 1996



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