Monday, April 16, 2012

Night Eyes

"Tiger, tiger, burning bright, in the forests of the night..."
This ancient poem by William Blake stirred my adolescent imagination with multiple exotic images, tiger eyes, eyes burning, jungle greenery, night stars, and more.  (1)

Now, the eyes I know to be looking in the night are watchful, caring eyes.   God, who cares about us and only wants the best for us, can see in the dark of the night as clearly as in the day.  (Psalm 139:12) .  "He who watches Isreal neither slumbers not sleeps."  As God knows all things, I'm sure he's watching over me also.
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(1) Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed. 1919. The Oxford Book of English Verse: 1250–1900.
 
William Blake. 1757–1827
 
489. The Tiger
 
TIGER, tiger, burning bright   
In the forests of the night,   
What immortal hand or eye   
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?   

In what distant deeps or skies             5
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?   
On what wings dare he aspire?   
What the hand dare seize the fire?   

And what shoulder and what art   
Could twist the sinews of thy heart?      10
And when thy heart began to beat,   
What dread hand and what dread feet?   

What the hammer? what the chain?   
In what furnace was thy brain?   
What the anvil? What dread grasp      15
Dare its deadly terrors clasp?   

When the stars threw down their spears,   
And water'd heaven with their tears,   
Did He smile His work to see?   
Did He who made the lamb make thee?      20

Tiger, tiger, burning bright   
In the forests of the night,   
What immortal hand or eye   
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?   

1 comment:

  1. This reminds me of the Mentalist (it's one of Red Johns sayings). Love how you wove it into your post.

    New visitor from a to z challenge.

    ~Kelly

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