The Clod and the Pebble

William Blake 1757 (Soho) – 1827 (London)



'Love seeketh not itself to please,   
Nor for itself hath any care,  
But for another gives its ease,
And builds a heaven in hell's despair.'

So sung a little clod of clay,
Trodden with the cattle's feet;
But a pebble of the brook
Warbled out these meters meet:

'Love seeketh only Self to please,
To bind another to its delight,
Joys in another's loss of ease,
And builds a hell in heaven's despite.'

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on May 01, 2023

23 sec read
1,075

Quick analysis:

Scheme ABAB XCXC ADAD
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 401
Words 77
Stanzas 3
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 4

William Blake

William Blake was an English poet, painter and printmaker. more…

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