Monday, March 6, 2023

I had to memorize this poem as a child in school

The Tyger ~ by William Blake (1757-1827)

Tyger Tyger, burning bright, 
In the forests of the night; 
What immortal hand or eye, 
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

In what distant deeps or skies. 
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
On what wings dare he aspire?
What the hand, dare seize the fire?

And what shoulder, & what art,
Could twist the sinews of thy heart?
And when thy heart began to beat.
What dread hand? & what dread feet?

What the hammer? what the chain,
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? what dread grasp.
Dare its deadly terrors clasp?

When the stars threw down their spears 
And water'd heaven with their tears:
Did he smile his work to see?
Did he who made the Lamb make thee?

Tyger Tyger burning bright,
In the forests of the night:
What immortal hand or eye,
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?

Tyger is spelled with a "y" because Blake used the old English spelling.  This poem is found in Songs of Innocence and of Experience, a collection of his illustrated poems.  I think all I memorized was the first verse — or maybe it was the last verse, since they are the same.  No other verses seem at all familiar, and I have no idea why the poem has popped into my head several times recently.

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