The Book Of Urizen: Chapter II

I     Earth was not: nor globes of attraction     The will of the Immortal expanded     Or contracted his all flexible senses.     Death was not, but eternal life sprung II     The sound of a trumpet the heavens     Awoke & vast clouds of blood roll'd     Round the dim rocks of Urizen, so nam'd     That solitary one in Immensity III     Shrill the trumpet: & myriads of Eternity,     Muster around the bleak desarts     Now fill'd with clouds, darkness & waters     That roll'd perplex'd labring & utter'd     Words articulate, bursting in thunders     That roll'd on the tops of his mountains IV     From the depths of dark solitude. From     The eternal abode in my holiness,     Hidden set apart in my stern counsels     Reserv'd for the days of futurity,     I have sought for a joy without pain,     For a solid without fluctuation     Why will you die O Eternals?     Why live in unquenchable burnings? V     First I fought with the fire; consum'd     Inwards, into a deep world within:     A void immense, wild dark & deep,     Where nothing was: Natures wide womb     And self balanc'd stretch'd o'er the void     I alone, even I! the winds merciless     Bound; but condensing, in torrents     They fall & fall; strong I repell'd     The vast waves, & arose on the waters     A wide world of solid obstruction VI     Here alone I in books formd of metals     Have written the secrets of wisdom     The secrets of dark contemplation     By fightings and conflicts dire,     With terrible monsters Sin-bred:     Which the bosoms of all inhabit;     Seven deadly Sins of the soul. VII     Lo! I unfold my darkness: and on     This rock, place with strong hand the Book     Of eternal brass, written in my solitude. VIII     Laws of peace, of love, of unity:     Of pity, compassion, forgiveness.     Let each chuse one habitation:     His ancient infinite mansion:     One command, one joy, one desire,     One curse, one weight, one measure     One King, one God, one Law.