by William Blake (1757 - 1827)
Earth's answer Matches original text
Language: English
Earth rais'd up her head From the darkness dread and drear. Her light fled, Stony dread! And her locks cover'd with grey despair. "Prison'd on wat'ry shore, Starry Jealousy does keep my den: Cold and hoar, Weeping o'er, I hear the Father of the Ancient Men. "Selfish Father of Men! Cruel, jealous, selfish Fear! Can delight, Chain'd in night, The virgins of youth and morning bear? "Does spring hide its joy When buds and blossoms grow? Does the sower Sow by night, Or the ploughman in darkness plough? "Break this heavy chain That does freeze my bones around. Selfish! vain! Eternal bane! That free Love with bondage bound."
Composition:
- Set to music by Hayg Boyadjian (b. 1938), "Earth's answer", 1978 [ soprano, flute, clarinet, percussion, piano, violin, cello and bass ], from Song Cycle on Poems of William Blake, no. 6
Text Authorship:
- by William Blake (1757 - 1827), "Earth's answer", appears in Songs of Innocence and Experience, in Songs of Experience, no. 2, first published 1794
See other settings of this text.
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 25
Word count: 108