Lyric Poem · Nature

The Human Abstract

by William Blake

Reading room

1Pity would be no more

2If we did not make somebody poor,

3And Mercy no more could be

4If all were as happy as we.

5And mutual fear brings Peace,

6Till the selfish loves increase;

7Then Cruelty knits a snare,

8And spreads his baits with care.

9He sits down with his holy fears,

10And waters the ground with tears;

11Then Humility takes its root

12Underneath his foot.

13Soon spreads the dismal shade

14Of Mystery over his head,

15And the caterpillar and fly

16Feed on the Mystery.

17And it bears the fruit of Deceit,

18Ruddy and sweet to eat,

19And the raven his nest has made

20In its thickest shade.

21The gods of the earth and sea

22Sought through nature to find this tree,

23But their search was all in vain:

24There grows one in the human Brain.

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“The Human Abstract” by William Blake — quilloak.com/poems/the-human-abstract

Quick facts

Poem: The Human Abstract
Poet: William Blake
Length: 24 lines
Form: Lyric Poem
Themes: Nature, Love, Sad

Craft notes

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Shape: 24 lines · 6 quatrains
Line length: Lines run 6-8 syllables (median 7). No single length dominates, which is normal once elision and contraction are in play.

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Full-text display is based on the committed source record and a United States term-expiry review.

Author record: William Blake1757–1827
Source record: PoetryDBThe Human Abstract by william-blake, PoetryDB transcription
Display decision: Full text · United States · reviewed 2026-07-18
Publication record: Not recorded in the imported source
Text fingerprint: SHA-256 10fd3e433ed5de2d…
Editorial handling: Whitespace and stanza breaks normalized for web display; no material wording change recorded.

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Lyric Poem Nature Love Sad

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