Four Songs from Blake's Songs of Experience

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2001
8 minutes
13 ​pages
Commissioned by Corinne Morini and premiered by her at Youngstown State University in April 2001

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A flower was offer'd to me,
Such a flower as May never bore;
But I said 'I've a pretty Rose-tree',
And I passed the sweet flower o'er.

Then I went to my pretty Rose-tree,
To tend her by day and by night,
But my rose turn'd away with jealousy,
And her thorns were my only delight.
​Ah, Sun-flower! weary of time,
Who countest the steps of the sun;
Seeking after that sweet golden clime,
Where the traveller's journey is done;

Where the Youth pined away with desire,
And the pale Virgin shrouded in snow,
Arise from their graves, and aspire
Where my Sun-flower wishes to go.
The modest Rose puts forth a thorn,
The humble Sheep a threat'ning horn;
While the Lily white shall in love delight,
Nor a thorn, nor a threat, stain her beauty bright.
​I went to the Garden of Love,
And saw what I never had seen:
A Chapel was built in the midst,
Where I used to play on the green.

And the gates of this Chapel were shut,
And 'Thou shalt not' writ over the door;
So I turn'd to the Garden of Love
That so many sweet flowers bore;

And I saw it was filled with graves,
And tombstones where flowers should be;
And priests in black gowns were walking their rounds,
And binding with briars my joys and desires.