For works with similar titles, see The Golden Net.
Blake manuscript - Notebook 1800 - 09 Beneath the white thorn lovely may


 * * *[1]

  [Three Virgins at the Break of day
  "Whither, Young Man, hither away ? del.]
  "Alas for wo! alas for wo!
  They cry & tears for ever flow 5
3   The one was cloth'd in flames of fire,
4   The other cloth'd in iron wire,
5   The other clothd in [sighs del.] & tears & sighs,
6   Dazzling bright before my Eyes.
1   They bore a Net of Golden twine 10
2   To hang upon the Branches fine
7   [Pitying, I wept to see the woe
8   That Love & Beauty undergo—
9   To be consum'd in burning fires
  And in Ungratified desires del.] 15
  And in tears cloth'd Night & day
  Melted all my soul away
  When they saw my tears, a smile
  That did heaven itself beguile,
  Bore the Golden Net aloft 20
  As on downy pinions soft
  O'er the morning of my Day
  Underneath the net I stray
  Now intreating flamng fire
  Now intreating [sweet desire del.] iron wire 25
  Now intreating tears & sighs
  Dazzling bright befire my eyes.[2]

  [additional passage del.]

  Wings they had [& when they chose del.] that soft inclose
   Round their body when they chose;
  They would let them down at will,
  Or make translucent...

_______________________________________

  1. ↑ "Blake Complete Writings", ed. Geoffrey Keynes, pub. OUP 1966/85, p. 421-2.
  2. ↑ In the fair copy: "O when will the morning rise". — Ed. of Wikisource.

This work was published before January 1, 1927, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.

 
This article is issued from Wikisource. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.