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To my friend Butts I write My first vision of light. On the yellow sands sitting. The sun was emitting His glorious beams From Heaven's high streams. Over sea, over land, My eyes did expand Into regions of air, Away from all care; Into regions of fire, Remote from desire; The light of the morning Heaven's mountains adorning: In particles bright, The jewels of light Distinct shone and clear. Amazed and in fear I each particle gazèd, Astonished, amazèd; For each was a Man Human-formed. Swift I ran, For they beckoned to me, Remote by the sea, Saying: "Each grain of sand, Every stone on the land, Each rock and each hill, Each fountain and rill, Each herb and each tree, Mountain, hill, earth, and sea, Cloud, meteor, and star, Are men seen afar." I stood in the streams Of Heaven's bright beams, And saw Felpham sweet Beneath my bright feet, In soft Female charms; And in her fair arms My Shadow I knew, And my wife’s Shadow too, And my sister, and friend. We like infants descend In our Shadows on earth, Like a weak mortal birth. My eyes, more and more, Like a sea without shore, Continue expanding, The Heavens commanding; Till the jewels of light, Heavenly men beaming bright, Appeared as One Man, Who complacent began My limbs to enfold In His beams of bright gold; Like dross purged away All my mire and my clay. Soft consumed in delight, In His bosom sun-bright I remained. Soft He smiled, And I heard His voice mild, Saying: "This is My fold, O thou ram horned with gold, Who awakest from sleep On the sides of the deep. On the mountains around The roarings resound Of the lion and wolf, The loud sea, and deep gulf. These are guards of My fold, O thou ram horned with gold!" And the voice faded mild; I remained as a child; All I ever had known Before me bright shone: I saw you and your wife By the fountains of life. Such the vision to me Appeared on the sea. |