1. Forth¹ flew the arrows of Pestilence²

    Round the pale living Corse on the Tree.

    2. For in Urizen's slumbers³ of abstraction，

    In the infinite ages of Eternity⁴，

    When his Nerves of Joy melted and flow'd，

    A white Lake on the dark blue air，

    In perturb'd pain and dismal⁵ torment⁶，

    Now stretching out， now swift conglobing，

    3. Effluvia vapour'd above

    In noxious⁷ clouds； these hover'd thick

    Over the disorganiz'd Immortal⁸，

    Till petrific pain scurf'd o'er the Lakes，

    As the bones of Man， solid and dark.

    4. The clouds of Disease hover'd wide

    Around the Immortal in torment，

    Perching around the hurtling bones——

    Disease on disease， shape on shape，

    Wingèd， screaming in blood and torment！

    5. The Eternal Prophet beat on his Anvils⁹，

    Enrag'd in the desolate¹⁰ darkness；

    He forg'd Nets of iron around，

    And Los threw them around the bones.

    6. The Shapes， screaming， flutter'd vain：

    Some combin'd into muscles and glands¹¹，

    Some organs for craving¹² and lust¹³；

    Most remain'd on the tormented¹⁴ Void——

    Urizen's army of horrors！

    7. Round the pale living Corse on the Tree.

    Forty years， flew the arrows of Pestilence.

    8. Wailing¹⁵ and terror and woe¹⁶

    Ran thro' all his dismal world；

    Forty years all his sons and daughters

    Felt their skulls¹⁷ harden； then Asia

    Arose in the pendulous¹⁸ deep.

    9. They reptilize upon the Earth.

    10. Fuzon groan'd on the Tree.

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