[...]
Στο σώμα, στην ενθύμηση πονούμε.
Μας διώχνουνε τα πράγματα, κι η ποίησις
είναι το καταφύγιο που φθονούμε.

Κ. Γ. Καρυωτάκης, [Είμαστε κάτι...], Ελεγεία: δεύτερη σειρά, 1927.

Παρασκευή 21 Μαρτίου 2025

Τίγρη

 
Thomas Phillips (1770-1845),
πορτρέτο του William Blake,
ελαιογραφία, 1807,
National Portrait Gallery, Λονδίνο.
Tyger Tyger. burning bright,
In the forests of the night;
What immortal hand or eye.
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?
 
In what distant deeps or skies. 
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
On what wings dare he aspire?
What the hand, dare seize the fire?
 
And what shoulder, & what art,
Could twist the sinews of thy heart?
And when thy heart began to beat.
What dread hand? & what dread feet?
 
What the hammer? what the chain,
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? what dread grasp.
Dare its deadly terrors clasp?
 
When the stars threw down their spears 
And water'd heaven with their tears:
Did he smile his work to see?
Did he who made the Lamb make thee?
 
Tyger Tyger burning bright.
In the forests of the night:
What immortal hand or eye.
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?
 
 
William Blake, "The Tyger", ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Songs of Experience, 1794.
Στο: ​​​​​​​W. Blake: The Complete Illuminated Books,
εκδ. The William Blake Trust and the Tate Gallery, 2009.

Σάββατο 8 Μαρτίου 2025

Pity

William Blake (1757-1827), Pity, έγχρωμη μονοτυπία,
c. 1795, The Tate Gallery, Λονδίνο.

 
[…] And pity, like a naked new-born babe,
Striding the blast, or heaven's cherubim, horsed
Upon the sightless couriers of the air,
Shall blow the horrid deed in every eye,
That tears shall drown the wind. […]

 
William Shakespeare (1564-1616), Macbeth (c. 1605-1606),
Πράξη 1η, Σκηνή 7η, στ. 21–25.