Whate'er is born of mortal birth
Must be consumèd with the earth,
To rise from generation free:
Then what have I to do with thee?The sexes sprung from shame and pride,
Blowed in the morn, in evening died;
But mercy changed death into sleep;
The sexes rose to work and weep.Thou, mother of my mortal part,
With cruelty didst mould my heart,
And with false self-deceiving tears
Didst blind my nostrils, eyes, and ears,Didst close my tongue in senseless clay,
And me to mortal life betray.
The death of Jesus set me free:Then what have I to do with thee?"
From UNC Analysis
The art bordering the poem provides the reader with an incite to what the poem means. In the picture, there are two women leaning over a naked man or looks weak or dead. They seem to be trying to pull him up to sit. On the other side, an old man with a long beard bows over the man on the ground while holding a pitcher to him. On the old man’s clothing, the phrase “It is Raised/a Spiritual Body” is written from 1 Corinthians 15:44 of the King James Bible (Eaves). The people standing around the weak man resemble those present when Jesus was about to rise from the dead, implying that the man laying before the women is a representation of Jesus. The Bible states in several places that women found Jesus. It looks as if they are trying to lift him up so the old man, possibly symbolizing God, can pour everlasting life into him. The way the weak man is laying signifies Jesus’ body on the cross. His legs are crossed and straight, and his head is limp. In the background, the apple tree represents the sin that created the situation. Jesus had to come down to save mankind after Adam and Eve ate from the Tree of Knowledge. There are seven fruits on the tree, in Blake’s illustration, perhaps portraying the seven deadly sins: Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, Envy, and Pride (King James Bible)
A Memorable Fancy Once I saw a Devil in a flame of fire. who arose before an Angel that sat on a cloud. and the Devil utterd these words. The worship of God is. Honouring his gifts in other men each according to his genius. and loving the [PL 23] greatest men best, those who envy or calumniate great men hate God, for there is no other God. The Angel hearing this became almost blue but mastering himself he grew yellow, & at last white pink & smiling, and then replied, Thou Idolater, is not God One? & is not he visible in Jesus Christ? and has not Jesus Christ given his sanction to the law of ten commandments and are not all other men fools, sinners, & nothings? The Devil answer'd; bray a fool in a morter with wheat. yet shall not his folly be beaten out of him: if Jesus Christ is the greatest man, you ought to love him in the greatest degree; now hear how he has given his sanction to the law of ten commandments: did he not mock at the sabbath, and so mock the sabbaths God? murder those who were murderd because of him? turn away the law from the woman taken in adultery? steal the labor of others to support him? bear false witness when he omitted making a defence before Pilate? covet when he pray'd for his disciples, and when he bid them shake off the dust of their feet against such as refused to lodge them? I tell you, no virtue can exist without breaking these ten commandments: Jesus was all virtue, and acted from im[PL 24]pulse: not from rules. When he had so spoken: I beheld the Angel who stretched out his arms embracing the flame of fire & he was consumed and arose as Elijah.
(Erdman 43; MHH)
Then those in Great Eternity met in the Council of God
As one Man for contracting their Exalted Senses
They behold Multitude or Expanding they behold as one
As One Man all the Universal family & that one Man
They call Jesus the Christ & they in him & he in them
Live in Perfect harmony in Eden the land of life
Consulting as One Man above the Mountain of Snowdon Sublime
(Erdman 310-11)
1 Corinthians 15:44
King James Version (KJV)
44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body.
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