‘CAGED’ – William Blake … 1757-1827

‘Caged Beauty’ … Pen&Ink – WHB – 1981

FROM: ‘ Auguries of Innocence’

BY . . . William Blake

“ . . . A Robin Redbreast in a Cage
Puts all Heaven in a Rage.
A dove house fill’d with doves and pigeons
Shudders Hell thro’ all its regions.
A Dog starv’d at his Master’s Gate
Predicts the ruin of the State.
A Horse misus’d upon the Road
Calls to Heaven for Human blood.
Each outcry of the hunted Hare
A fiber from the Brain does tear . . . ”

William Blake … Poet & Artist  … 1757-1827

At Play – Then & Now

Photo: WHB – 2002 (manipulated)

Delight and joy
radiant-coloured youth
ignorant of innocence
and centred on life
with due delight
in present days
radiating their found-freedom
in carefree games amongst the summer trees

Unheeding days
unmelted moments
to be
segued in due time
into the concerns of age
until
at length and in their history’s dusk
appears that second coming
a new oblivion
second innocence

Now untainted
by the warts of knowledge
life-worn futures yet unknown
the pains of caring
hidden from their vibrant view
again sensing nature in its infancy
hell-bent
heaven sent
unfractured youth
presaging the oblivion of age
reflecting only the here
the now
present joy shielding
what once was caring
since faded from life’s reality
by-passing tensions
never now to be revealed

‘Let Sleeping Princesses Lie’

A headline from a recent edition of the ‘Daily Mail’ read:

‘Mother demands her son’s school take ‘Sleeping Beauty’ off the curriculum because the princess doesn’t give consent to be kissed and woken up by a prince.’

Let sleeping Princesses lie . . .  The story must be told . . .

---

 

One of our favourite fairy tales
Has fallen under a cloud;
For kissing a soundly sleeping beauty
They say should not be allowed.

Apparently a passing prince
Came upon a lass,
Innocently fast asleep,
And then he made a pass.

Engulfed by a kindly urge
This gallant lad lent down.
He gently kissed her soft pink lips
To take away her frown.

Startled then she leapt right up
And slapped his beaming face.
The Prince soon knew he’d done her wrong
And now was in disgrace.

“How dare you touch me without consent?”
She yelled at him in ire,
“My dignity, my personal space,
Penance they require.

You’d better find a lawyer soon,
That’s what I advise.
Your nasty criminal behaviour
I thoroughly despise.”

And thus the fairy tale did end,
So let this be a lesson.
Even a naive act of love
Can now be thought aggression.

 

 

PLEASE NOTE:   Although it is not usually my habit to post over the weekend, do look out for a new blog from my pen each day of the coming Christmas period. 

William Blake … 1757-1827

‘Caged Beauty’ … Pen&Ink – WHB – 1981

FROM: ‘ Auguries of Innocence’

BY . . . William Blake

 

“ . . . A Robin Redbreast in a Cage
Puts all Heaven in a Rage.
A dove house fill’d with doves and pigeons
Shudders Hell thro’ all its regions.
A Dog starv’d at his Master’s Gate
Predicts the ruin of the State.
A Horse misus’d upon the Road
Calls to Heaven for Human blood.
Each outcry of the hunted Hare
A fiber from the Brain does tear . . . ”

 

FROM: ‘ Proverbs of Hell’

BY . . . William Blake

  Image From:   

… All wholesome food is caught without a net or a trap
Bring out number, weight & measure in a year of dearth.
No bird soars too high, if he soars with his own wings.
A dead body revenges not injuries …

William Blake … Poet & Artist  … 1757-1827