Sunday, September 03, 2017

E.P.Thompson – Blake's London ... Something to Say


Lecture by E P Thompson on William Blake's poem 'London'. 
Directed by Trevor Griffiths broadcast on BBC1 25 June 1970

                                London
                         
                                BY WILLIAM BLAKE (1793)

                                I wander thro' each charter'd street, 
                                Near where the charter'd Thames does flow. 
                                And mark in every face I meet 
                                Marks of weakness, marks of woe. 

                                In every cry of every Man, 
                                In every Infants cry of fear, 
                                In every voice: in every ban, 
                                The mind-forg'd manacles I hear 

                                How the Chimney-sweepers cry 
                                Every blackning Church appalls, 
                                And the hapless Soldiers sigh 
                                Runs in blood down Palace walls 

                                But most thro' midnight streets I hear 
                                How the youthful Harlots curse 
                                Blasts the new-born Infants tear 
                                And blights with plagues the Marriage hearse 

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