The Crystal Cabinet by William Blake

I recently read a book with part of this amazing poem. I had to know the rest and I thought I would share it. Oh and I’ll have that book review up next week. 🙂 

The Maiden caught me in the wild,
Where I was dancing merrily;
She put me into her Cabinet,
And lock’d me up with a golden key.

This cabinet is form’d of gold
And pearl and crystal shining bright,
And within it opens into a world
And a little lovely moony night.

Another England there I saw
Another London with its Tower,
Another Thames and other hills,
And another pleasant Surrey bower.

Another Maiden like herself,
Translucent, lovely, shining clear,
Threefold each in the other clos’d
O, what a pleasant trembling fear!

O, what a smile! a threefold smile
Fill’d me, that like a flame I burn’d;
I bent to kiss the lovely Maid,
And found a threefold kiss return’d.

I strove to seize the inmost form
With ardor fierce and hands of flame,
But burst the Crystal Cabinet,
And like a weeping Babe became–

A weeping Babe upon the wild,
And weeping Woman pale reclin’d,
And in the outward air again,
I fill’d with woes the passing wind.

William Blake
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6 thoughts on “The Crystal Cabinet by William Blake

  1. I remember reading William Blake’s poetry in my teens and this first verse of his long poem ‘Auguries of Innocence’ has always stayed with me. I thought it was so beautiful.

    To see a World in a Grain of Sand
    And a Heaven in a Wild Flower,
    Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
    And Eternity in an hour.

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