Songs from an Island in the Moon (by William Blake)
- From: George Dance <georgedance04@xxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 06 Sep 2007 11:57:53 -0700
Songs from an Island in the Moon
I
Little Phoebus came strutting in,
With his fat belly and his round chin.
What is it you would please to have?
Ho! Ho!
I won't let it go at only so and so!
II
Honour and Genius is all I ask,
And I ask the Gods no more!
No more! No more!
No more! No more!} The Three Philosophers bear chorus.
III
When Old Corruption first begun,
Adorn'd in yellow vest,
He committed on Flesh a whoredom --
O, what a wicked beast!
From then a callow babe did spring,
And Old Corruption smil'd
To think his race should never end,
For now he had a child.
He call'd him Surgery and fed
The babe with his own milk;
For Flesh and he could ne'er agree:
She would not let him suck.
And this he always kept in mind;
And form'd a crooked knife,
And ran about with bloody hands
To seek his mother's life.
And as he ran to seek his mother
He met with a dead woman.
He fell in love and married her --
A deed which is not common!
She soon grew pregnant, and brought forth
Scurvy and Spotted Fever,
The father grinn'd and skipt about,
And said `I'm made for ever!
`For now I have procur'd these imps
I'll try experiments.'
With that he tied poor Scurvy down,
And stopt up all its vents.
And when the child began to swell
He shouted out aloud --
`I've found the dropsy out, and soon
Shall do the world more good.'
He took up Fever by the neck,
And cut out all its spots;
And, thro' the holes which he had made,
He first discover'd guts.
IV
Hear then the pride and knowledge of a sailor!
His sprit sail, fore sail, main sail, and his mizen.
A poor frail man -- God wot! I know none frailer,
I know no greater sinner than John Taylor.
V
The Song of Phoebe and Jellicoe
Phoebe drest like beauty's queen,
Jellicoe in faint pea-green,
Sitting all beneath a grot,
Where the little lambkins trot.
Maidens dancing, loves a-sporting,
All the country folks a-courting,
Susan, Johnny, Bob, and Joe,
Lightly tripping on a row.
Happy people, who can be
In happiness compar'd with ye?
The pilgrim with his crook and hat
Sees your happiness complete.
VI
Lo! the Bat with leathern wing,
Winking and blinking,
Winking and blinking,
Winking and blinking,
Like Dr Johnson.
Quid. `O ho!' said Dr. Johnson
To Scipio Africanus,
Suction. `A ha!' to Dr. Johnson
Said Scipio Africanus,
- William Blake
.
- Prev by Date: Re: Tommy Bishop steals again
- Next by Date: Re: Tommy Bishop steals again
- Previous by thread: your
- Next by thread: Ding Dong the Troll Is
- Index(es):
Relevant Pages
|
