| William Blake (1757–1827). The Poetical Works. 1908. | | | | Selections from ‘The Four Zoas’ | | [The War-Song of Orc] |
| | (Four Zoas, Night VII, First Version, ll. 142–56.)
LOUD sounds the war-song round red Orc in his fury, | |
| And round the nameless Shadowy Female in her howling terror, | |
| When all the Elemental Gods join’d in the wondrous song:— | |
| ‘Sound the war-trumpet terrific, souls clad in attractive steel! | |
| Sound the shrill fife, Serpents of War! I hear the northern drum | 5 |
| Awake! I hear the flappings of the folding banners! | |
| The Dragons of the North put on their armour; | |
| Upon the eastern sea direct they take their course; | |
| The glitt’ring of their horses’ trappings stains the vault of night. | |
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| ‘Stop we the rising of the glorious King! spur, spur your clouds 1 | 10 |
| Of death! O northern drum, awake! O hand of iron, sound | |
| The northern drum! Now give the charge! bravely obscur’d | |
| With darts of wintry hail! Again the black bow draw; | |
| Again the elemental strings to your right breasts draw; | |
| And let the thund’ring drum speed on the arrows black!’ | 15 |
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