To see a World in a Grain of Sand
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower,
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
And Eternity in an hour.

A Robin Redbreast in a cage
Puts all Heaven in a Rage.
A dove house fill’d with Doves and Pigeons
Shudders Hell thro’ all its regions.

A there are two most sacred things
Thou art the Mother of the Springs;
Though thy pity teems
With all vain hopes and dreams,

If Must be asked, who shall remain
Thus naked on this Holy Plane?
But in thy heart, as in true ocean
There the shells abound in motion.

Thou art the Child of the Sun, the Moon,
To prove the Earth, which is thy womb:
So soft the flowers burst into bloom
And the growing Heaven doth resume.

Distance of heaven upon earth
That has made its worth known;
Each Grief, each pain that chastened
To bring its secrets gladly borne.

We will lead every flower to blow
And awaken it in its glow;
To bridge the soul’s reverence
Of our wayfarer’s innocence.

Thus life moves with approach and retreat
And unfold the joy to be complete!
In the harmony sweet,
The harmony sweet!

• William Blake