We are made to turn the wheel for water
To carry the heavy basket on our scorched shoulders, to sift
The sand & ashes, & to mix the clay with tears & repentance I see not Luvah as of old
I only see his feet Like pillars
of fire travelling thro darkness
& non entity {These four lines are placed to the right of the main body of text.
To carry the heavy basket on our scorched shoulders, to sift
The sand & ashes, & to mix the clay with tears & repentance I see not Luvah as of old
I only see his feet Like pillars
of fire travelling thro darkness
& non entity {These four lines are placed to the right of the main body of text.
Blake - Zoas
KAU}
Casting their sparkies dire abroad into the dismal deep {Alternate reading of "sparkles" for "sparkies. " KAU}
For measurd out in orderd spaces the Sons of Urizen {Lowecase "sons" mended to "Sons. " KAU}
With compasses divide the deep; they the strong scales erect
PAGE 29
That Luvah rent from the faint Heart of the [Eternal] [Ancient] Fallen Man {The word "Ancient" written in pencil, then erased. KAU}
And weigh the massy Globes Cubes, then fix them in their awful stations
And all the time in Caverns shut, the golden Looms erected
First spun, then wove the Atmospheres, there the Spider & Worm
Plied the wingd shuttle piping shrill thro' all the list'ning threads
Beneath the Caverns roll the weights of lead & spindles of iron
The enormous warp & woof rage direful in the affrighted deep
While far into the vast unknown, the strong wing'd Eagles bend
Their venturous flight, in Human forms distinct; thro darkness deep
They bear the woven draperies; on golden hooks they hang abroad
The universal curtains & spread out from Sun to Sun
The vehicles of light, they separate the furious particles
Into mild currents as the water mingles with the wine.
While thus the Spirits of strongest wing enlighten the dark deep
The threads are spun & the cords twisted & drawn out; then the weak
Begin their work; & many a net is netted; many a net
PAGE 30
Spread & many a Spirit caught, innumerable the nets
Innumerable the gins & traps; & many a soothing flute
Is form'd & many a corded lyre, outspread over the immense
In cruel delight they trap the listeners, & in cruel delight
Bind them, [together] condensing the strong energies into little compass
Some became seed of every plant that shall be planted; some
The bulbous roots, thrown up together into barns & garners
Then rose the Builders: First the Architect divine his plan
Unfolds, The wondrous scaffold reard all round the infinite
Quadrangular the building rose the heavens squared by a line. Trigon & cubes divide the elements in finite bonds
Multitudes without number work incessant: the hewn stone
Is placd in beds of mortar mingled with the ashes of Vala {Alternate reading of "on" for "in. " KAU}
Severe the labour, female slaves the mortar trod oppressed
Twelve halls after the names of his twelve sons composd
The golden wondrous building & three [centr f[orm]] Central Domes after the Names {Erdman posits that Blake erased the words "centr f[orm]" and replaced them with "Central Domes. " KAU}
Of his three daughters were encompassd by the twelve bright halls
Every hall surrounded by bright Paradises of Delight
In which are towns & Cities Nations Seas Mountains & Rivers {Minor grammatical changes, in tense ("were" mended to "are") and capitalization ("mountains" to "Mountains") KAU}
Each Dome opend toward four halls & the Three Domes Encompassd
The Golden Hall of Urizen whose western side glowd bright
With ever streaming fires beaming from his awful limbs
His Shadowy Feminine Semblance here reposd on a [bright] White Couch
Or hoverd oer his Starry head & when he smild she brightend
Like a bright Cloud in harvest. but when Urizen frownd She wept
In mists over his carved throne & when he turnd his back
Upon his Golden hall & sought the Labyrinthine porches
Of his wide heaven Trembling, cold in paling fears she sat
A Shadow of Despair therefore toward the West Urizen formd
A recess in the wall for fires to glow upon the pale
Females limbs in his absence & her Daughters oft upon
A Golden Altar burnt perfumes with Art Celestial formd
Foursquare sculpturd & sweetly Engravd to please their shadowy mother {"Pleasd" mended to "please. " KAU}
As[c]ending into her cloudy misty garments the blue smoke rolld to revive
Her cold limbs in the absence of her Lord. Also her sons
With lives of Victims sacrificed upon an altar of brass
On the East side. Revivd her Soul with lives of beasts & birds
Slain on the Altar up ascending into her cloudy bosom
Of terrible workmanship the Altar labour of ten thousand Slaves
One thousand Men of wondrous power spent their lives in its formation
It stood on twelve steps namd after the names of her twelve sons
And was Erected at the chief entrance of Urizens hall
When Urizen descended returnd from his immense labours & travels
Descending She reposd beside him folding him around
In her bright skirts. Astonishd & Confounded he beheld
Her shadowy form now Separate he shudderd & was silent
Till her caresses & her tears revivd him to life & joy
Two wills they had two intellects & not as in times of old
This Urizen percievd & silent brooded in darkning Clouds
To him his Labour was but Sorrow & his Kingdom was Repentance
He drave the Male Spirits all away from Ahania {Alternate reading of "drove" for "drave. " KAU}
And she drave all the Females from him away {Alternate reading of "drove" for "drave. " KAU}
Los joyd & Enitharmon laughd, saying Let us go down
And see this labour & sorrow; They went down to see the woes
Of Vala & the woes of Luvah, to draw in their delights
And Vala like a shadow oft appeard to Urizen
PAGE 31
The King of Light beheld her mourning among the Brick kilns compelld
To labour night & day among the fires, her lamenting voice
Is heard when silent night returns & the labourers take their rest
O Lord wilt thou not look upon our sore afflictions
Among these flames incessant labouring, our hard masters laugh
At all our sorrow.
We are made to turn the wheel for water
To carry the heavy basket on our scorched shoulders, to sift
The sand & ashes, & to mix the clay with tears & repentance I see not Luvah as of old
I only see his feet Like pillars
of fire travelling thro darkness
& non entity {These four lines are placed to the right of the main body of text. Erdman does not note this placement in his edition. KAU}
The times are now returnd upon us, we have given ourselves
To scorn and now are scorned by the slaves of our enemies
Our beauty is coverd over with clay & ashes, & our backs
Furrowd with whips, & our flesh bruised with the heavy basket
Forgive us O thou piteous one whom we have offended, forgive
The weak remaining shadow of Vala that returns in sorrow to thee.
Thus she lamented day & night, compelld to labour & sorrow
Luvah in vain her lamentations heard; in vain his love
Brought him in various forms before her still she knew him not
PAGE 32
Still she despisd him, calling on his name & knowing him not
Still hating still professing love, still labouring in the smoke
And Los & Enitharmon joyd, they drank in tenfold joy To come in
From all the sorrow of Luvah & the labour of Urizen {These two lines struck through, but then marked (to the right of the main body of text) with the following: "To come in. " KAU}
And Enitharmon joyd Plotting to rend the secret cloud
To plant divisions in the Soul of Urizen & Ahania
But For infinitely beautiful the wondrous work arose {Erdman notes that the word "For" has been deleted in Blake. It is not so marked in the manuscript text. KAU}
In [ songs & joy ] sorrow & care. a Golden World whose porches round the heavens
And pillard halls & rooms recievd the eternal wandering stars
A wondrous golden Building; many a window many a door
And many a division let in & out into the vast unknown
[Cubed] Circled in infinite orb immoveable, within its arches all walls & cielings {According to Erdman, "The second reading is erased; yet it is supported by the reference back to "Cubes" and "window" in 33:4-5. If ears are porches, mouth, nose, and eyes had better be doors and windows; yet the concept of micromacrocosm is better expressed in "infinite orb immoveable," with its matching of the oxymoron in "primum mobile. " If Blake hesitated to choose either reading, an editor hesitates to reject either. " KAU}
The heavens were closd & and spirits mournd their bondage night and day
And the Divine Vision appeard in Luvahs robes of blood {This line written over an erased line, possibly ending "within. " KAU}
Thus was the Mundane shell builded by Urizens strong power
Sorrowing Then went the Planters forth to plant, the Sowers forth to sow
They dug the channels for the rivers & they pourd abroad
PAGE 33
The seas & lakes, they reard the mountains & the rocks & hills
On broad pavilions, on pillard roofs & porches & high towers
In beauteous order, thence arose soft clouds & exhalations
Wandering even to the sunny orbs Cubes of light & heat {Lowercase "cubes" mended to "Cubes. " KAU}
For many a window ornamented with sweet ornaments
Lookd out into the World of Tharmas, where in ceaseless torrents {Lowercase "world" mended to "World. " KAU}
His billows roll where monsters wander in the foamy paths
On clouds the Sons of Urizen beheld Heaven walled round {Irretrievable word following "beheld. " KAU}
They weighd & orderd all & Urizen [in comfort saw] comforted saw {The erased phrase "in comfort saw" is speculation on Erdman's part. KAU}
The wondrous work flow forth like visible out of the invisible
For the Divine Lamb Even Jesus who is the Divine Vision
Permitted all lest Man should fall into Eternal Death
For when Luvah sunk down himself put on the robes of blood
Lest the state calld Luvah should cease.
Casting their sparkies dire abroad into the dismal deep {Alternate reading of "sparkles" for "sparkies. " KAU}
For measurd out in orderd spaces the Sons of Urizen {Lowecase "sons" mended to "Sons. " KAU}
With compasses divide the deep; they the strong scales erect
PAGE 29
That Luvah rent from the faint Heart of the [Eternal] [Ancient] Fallen Man {The word "Ancient" written in pencil, then erased. KAU}
And weigh the massy Globes Cubes, then fix them in their awful stations
And all the time in Caverns shut, the golden Looms erected
First spun, then wove the Atmospheres, there the Spider & Worm
Plied the wingd shuttle piping shrill thro' all the list'ning threads
Beneath the Caverns roll the weights of lead & spindles of iron
The enormous warp & woof rage direful in the affrighted deep
While far into the vast unknown, the strong wing'd Eagles bend
Their venturous flight, in Human forms distinct; thro darkness deep
They bear the woven draperies; on golden hooks they hang abroad
The universal curtains & spread out from Sun to Sun
The vehicles of light, they separate the furious particles
Into mild currents as the water mingles with the wine.
While thus the Spirits of strongest wing enlighten the dark deep
The threads are spun & the cords twisted & drawn out; then the weak
Begin their work; & many a net is netted; many a net
PAGE 30
Spread & many a Spirit caught, innumerable the nets
Innumerable the gins & traps; & many a soothing flute
Is form'd & many a corded lyre, outspread over the immense
In cruel delight they trap the listeners, & in cruel delight
Bind them, [together] condensing the strong energies into little compass
Some became seed of every plant that shall be planted; some
The bulbous roots, thrown up together into barns & garners
Then rose the Builders: First the Architect divine his plan
Unfolds, The wondrous scaffold reard all round the infinite
Quadrangular the building rose the heavens squared by a line. Trigon & cubes divide the elements in finite bonds
Multitudes without number work incessant: the hewn stone
Is placd in beds of mortar mingled with the ashes of Vala {Alternate reading of "on" for "in. " KAU}
Severe the labour, female slaves the mortar trod oppressed
Twelve halls after the names of his twelve sons composd
The golden wondrous building & three [centr f[orm]] Central Domes after the Names {Erdman posits that Blake erased the words "centr f[orm]" and replaced them with "Central Domes. " KAU}
Of his three daughters were encompassd by the twelve bright halls
Every hall surrounded by bright Paradises of Delight
In which are towns & Cities Nations Seas Mountains & Rivers {Minor grammatical changes, in tense ("were" mended to "are") and capitalization ("mountains" to "Mountains") KAU}
Each Dome opend toward four halls & the Three Domes Encompassd
The Golden Hall of Urizen whose western side glowd bright
With ever streaming fires beaming from his awful limbs
His Shadowy Feminine Semblance here reposd on a [bright] White Couch
Or hoverd oer his Starry head & when he smild she brightend
Like a bright Cloud in harvest. but when Urizen frownd She wept
In mists over his carved throne & when he turnd his back
Upon his Golden hall & sought the Labyrinthine porches
Of his wide heaven Trembling, cold in paling fears she sat
A Shadow of Despair therefore toward the West Urizen formd
A recess in the wall for fires to glow upon the pale
Females limbs in his absence & her Daughters oft upon
A Golden Altar burnt perfumes with Art Celestial formd
Foursquare sculpturd & sweetly Engravd to please their shadowy mother {"Pleasd" mended to "please. " KAU}
As[c]ending into her cloudy misty garments the blue smoke rolld to revive
Her cold limbs in the absence of her Lord. Also her sons
With lives of Victims sacrificed upon an altar of brass
On the East side. Revivd her Soul with lives of beasts & birds
Slain on the Altar up ascending into her cloudy bosom
Of terrible workmanship the Altar labour of ten thousand Slaves
One thousand Men of wondrous power spent their lives in its formation
It stood on twelve steps namd after the names of her twelve sons
And was Erected at the chief entrance of Urizens hall
When Urizen descended returnd from his immense labours & travels
Descending She reposd beside him folding him around
In her bright skirts. Astonishd & Confounded he beheld
Her shadowy form now Separate he shudderd & was silent
Till her caresses & her tears revivd him to life & joy
Two wills they had two intellects & not as in times of old
This Urizen percievd & silent brooded in darkning Clouds
To him his Labour was but Sorrow & his Kingdom was Repentance
He drave the Male Spirits all away from Ahania {Alternate reading of "drove" for "drave. " KAU}
And she drave all the Females from him away {Alternate reading of "drove" for "drave. " KAU}
Los joyd & Enitharmon laughd, saying Let us go down
And see this labour & sorrow; They went down to see the woes
Of Vala & the woes of Luvah, to draw in their delights
And Vala like a shadow oft appeard to Urizen
PAGE 31
The King of Light beheld her mourning among the Brick kilns compelld
To labour night & day among the fires, her lamenting voice
Is heard when silent night returns & the labourers take their rest
O Lord wilt thou not look upon our sore afflictions
Among these flames incessant labouring, our hard masters laugh
At all our sorrow.
We are made to turn the wheel for water
To carry the heavy basket on our scorched shoulders, to sift
The sand & ashes, & to mix the clay with tears & repentance I see not Luvah as of old
I only see his feet Like pillars
of fire travelling thro darkness
& non entity {These four lines are placed to the right of the main body of text. Erdman does not note this placement in his edition. KAU}
The times are now returnd upon us, we have given ourselves
To scorn and now are scorned by the slaves of our enemies
Our beauty is coverd over with clay & ashes, & our backs
Furrowd with whips, & our flesh bruised with the heavy basket
Forgive us O thou piteous one whom we have offended, forgive
The weak remaining shadow of Vala that returns in sorrow to thee.
Thus she lamented day & night, compelld to labour & sorrow
Luvah in vain her lamentations heard; in vain his love
Brought him in various forms before her still she knew him not
PAGE 32
Still she despisd him, calling on his name & knowing him not
Still hating still professing love, still labouring in the smoke
And Los & Enitharmon joyd, they drank in tenfold joy To come in
From all the sorrow of Luvah & the labour of Urizen {These two lines struck through, but then marked (to the right of the main body of text) with the following: "To come in. " KAU}
And Enitharmon joyd Plotting to rend the secret cloud
To plant divisions in the Soul of Urizen & Ahania
But For infinitely beautiful the wondrous work arose {Erdman notes that the word "For" has been deleted in Blake. It is not so marked in the manuscript text. KAU}
In [ songs & joy ] sorrow & care. a Golden World whose porches round the heavens
And pillard halls & rooms recievd the eternal wandering stars
A wondrous golden Building; many a window many a door
And many a division let in & out into the vast unknown
[Cubed] Circled in infinite orb immoveable, within its arches all walls & cielings {According to Erdman, "The second reading is erased; yet it is supported by the reference back to "Cubes" and "window" in 33:4-5. If ears are porches, mouth, nose, and eyes had better be doors and windows; yet the concept of micromacrocosm is better expressed in "infinite orb immoveable," with its matching of the oxymoron in "primum mobile. " If Blake hesitated to choose either reading, an editor hesitates to reject either. " KAU}
The heavens were closd & and spirits mournd their bondage night and day
And the Divine Vision appeard in Luvahs robes of blood {This line written over an erased line, possibly ending "within. " KAU}
Thus was the Mundane shell builded by Urizens strong power
Sorrowing Then went the Planters forth to plant, the Sowers forth to sow
They dug the channels for the rivers & they pourd abroad
PAGE 33
The seas & lakes, they reard the mountains & the rocks & hills
On broad pavilions, on pillard roofs & porches & high towers
In beauteous order, thence arose soft clouds & exhalations
Wandering even to the sunny orbs Cubes of light & heat {Lowercase "cubes" mended to "Cubes. " KAU}
For many a window ornamented with sweet ornaments
Lookd out into the World of Tharmas, where in ceaseless torrents {Lowercase "world" mended to "World. " KAU}
His billows roll where monsters wander in the foamy paths
On clouds the Sons of Urizen beheld Heaven walled round {Irretrievable word following "beheld. " KAU}
They weighd & orderd all & Urizen [in comfort saw] comforted saw {The erased phrase "in comfort saw" is speculation on Erdman's part. KAU}
The wondrous work flow forth like visible out of the invisible
For the Divine Lamb Even Jesus who is the Divine Vision
Permitted all lest Man should fall into Eternal Death
For when Luvah sunk down himself put on the robes of blood
Lest the state calld Luvah should cease.
