Infant Sorrow
July 6, 2023I see the Four-fold Man
July 6, 2023If It Is True What the Prophets Write
If it is true, what the Prophets write,
That the heathen gods are all stocks and stones,
Shall we, for the sake of being polite,
Feed them with the juice of our marrow-bones?
And if Bezaleel and Aholiab drew
What the finger of God pointed to their view,
Shall we suffer the Roman and Grecian rods
To compel us to worship them as gods?
They stole them from the temple of the Lord
And worshipp’d them that they might make inspirèd art abhorr’d;
The wood and stone were call’d the holy things,
And their sublime intent given to their kings.
All the atonements of Jehovah spurn’d,
And criminals to sacrifices turn’d.
William Blake
William Blake (1757-1827) was an English poet, painter, and printmaker who is considered one of the most important figures of the Romantic era. He is best known for his poetry collections, "Songs of Innocence" and "Songs of Experience," which explore themes of childhood, spirituality, and the human condition. Blake was also a visual artist, and his paintings and illustrations often feature the same themes as his poetry.