| William Blake (1757–1827). The Poetical Works. 1908. | | | | Selections from ‘The Four Zoas’ | | [Vala in Lower Paradise] |
| | (Four Zoas, Night IX, ll. 469–82.)
SO saying, she arose and walkèd round her beautiful house; | |
| And then from her white door she look’d to see her bleating lambs, | |
| But her flocks were gone up from beneath the trees into the hills. | |
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| ‘I see the hand that leadeth me doth also lead my flocks.’ | |
| She went up to her flocks, and turnèd oft to see her shining house. | 5 |
| She stopp’d to drink of the clear spring, and eat the grapes and apples; | |
| She bore the fruits in her lap; she gather’d flowers for her bosom. | |
| She callèd to her flocks, saying: ‘Follow me, O my flocks!’ | |
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| They follow’d her to the silent valley beneath the spreading trees, | |
| And on the river’s margin she ungirded her golden girdle; | 10 |
| She stood in the river and view’d herself within the wat’ry glass, | |
| And her bright hair was wet with the waters. She rose up from the river, | |
| And as she rose her eyes were open’d to the world of waters; | |
| She saw Tharmas sitting upon the rocks beside the wavy sea. | | | | |
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