Broken Love Poem by William Blake

Broken Love

Rating: 3.3


MY Spectre around me night and day
Like a wild beast guards my way;
My Emanation far within
Weeps incessantly for my sin.

‘A fathomless and boundless deep,
There we wander, there we weep;
On the hungry craving wind
My Spectre follows thee behind.

‘He scents thy footsteps in the snow
Wheresoever thou dost go,
Thro’ the wintry hail and rain.
When wilt thou return again?

’Dost thou not in pride and scorn
Fill with tempests all my morn,
And with jealousies and fears
Fill my pleasant nights with tears?

‘Seven of my sweet loves thy knife
Has bereavèd of their life.
Their marble tombs I built with tears,
And with cold and shuddering fears.

‘Seven more loves weep night and day
Round the tombs where my loves lay,
And seven more loves attend each night
Around my couch with torches bright.

‘And seven more loves in my bed
Crown with wine my mournful head,
Pitying and forgiving all
Thy transgressions great and small.

‘When wilt thou return and view
My loves, and them to life renew?
When wilt thou return and live?
When wilt thou pity as I forgive?’

‘O’er my sins thou sit and moan:
Hast thou no sins of thy own?
O’er my sins thou sit and weep,
And lull thy own sins fast asleep.

‘What transgressions I commit
Are for thy transgressions fit.
They thy harlots, thou their slave;
And my bed becomes their grave.

‘Never, never, I return:
Still for victory I burn.
Living, thee alone I’ll have;
And when dead I’ll be thy grave.

‘Thro’ the Heaven and Earth and Hell
Thou shalt never, quell:
I will fly and thou pursue:
Night and morn the flight renew.’

‘Poor, pale, pitiable form
That I follow in a storm;
Iron tears and groans of lead
Bind around my aching head.

‘Till I turn from Female love
And root up the Infernal Grove,
I shall never worthy be
To step into Eternity.

‘And, to end thy cruel mocks,
Annihilate thee on the rocks,
And another form create
To be subservient to my fate.

‘Let us agree to give up love,
And root up the Infernal Grove;
Then shall we return and see
The worlds of happy Eternity.

‘And throughout all Eternity
I forgive you, you forgive me.
As our dear Redeemer said:
“This the Wine, and this the Bread.”’

COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Florentina Enea 10 December 2007

I first found out about this wonderful poem in an incredible love story 'The heart of mine'. You should see the movie...

26 12 Reply
Rudy Theophin 13 March 2011

I love William Blake poems, this is not my favorite poem of his but nonetheless I enjoy it. Superb! ! ! ! !

20 15 Reply
Ruby Root 23 August 2006

Were the headstones, a real death and death of women he loved? I am not sure. Are these metaphors or does he tell a tale of horror. Great poem, great imagery and emotion.

21 10 Reply
* Sunprincess * 01 February 2014

.......some very nice lines... ~‘And throughout all Eternity I forgive you, you forgive me. As our dear Redeemer said: “This the Wine, and this the Bread.”’~

6 7 Reply
Dr Dillip K Swain 07 August 2021

I have no words to interpret this poem...timeless!

0 0 Reply
Dr Dillip K Swain 13 May 2021

Second stanza is my favorite!

0 0 Reply
Harry Carpenter 20 March 2021

My favourite.

0 0 Reply
Tanya 24 May 2019

Thank you for my holiday home work

1 0 Reply
Kalpana Sharma 03 June 2018

Thank you for my holiday homework

1 0 Reply
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