To Spring - William Blake
/To Spring - William Blake/
An Invocation to the Season of Renewal
Original (Line 1): O thou with dewy locks, who lookest down
English (Line 1): O you with dewy locks, who look down
Original (Line 2): Thro’ the clear windows of the morning, turn
English (Line 2): Through the clear windows of the morning, turn
Original (Line 3): Thine angel eyes upon our western isle,
English (Line 3): Your angelic eyes upon our western isle,
Original (Line 4): Which in full choir hails thy approach, O Spring!
English (Line 4): Which hails your arrival in a full-voiced choir, O Spring!
Original (Line 5): The hills tell each other, and the listening
English (Line 5): The hills pass the news to each other, and the valleys listen,
Original (Line 6): Valleys hear; all our longing eyes are turned
English (Line 6): All our longing eyes are turned
Original (Line 7): Up to thy bright pavilions; issue forth,
English (Line 7): Up to your bright pavilions; come forth,
Original (Line 8): And let thy holy feet visit our clime!
English (Line 8): And let your holy feet grace our land!
Original (Line 9): Come o’er the eastern hills, and let our winds
English (Line 9): Come over the eastern hills, let our winds
Original (Line 10): Kiss thy perfumed garments; let us taste
English (Line 10): Kiss your fragrant garments; let us taste
Original (Line 11): Thy morn and evening breath; scatter thy pearls
English (Line 11): Your morning and evening breath; scatter your pearls
Original (Line 12): Upon our love-sick land that mourns for thee.
English (Line 12): Upon our love-sick land which yearns for you.
Original (Line 13): O deck her forth with thy fair fingers; pour
English (Line 13): O adorn her with your gentle fingers; pour
Original (Line 14): Thy soft kisses on her bosom; and put
English (Line 14): Your soft kisses upon her bosom; and place
Original (Line 15): Thy golden crown upon her languish’d head,
English (Line 15): Your golden crown upon her languishing head,
Original (Line 16): Whose modest tresses were bound up for thee!
English (Line 16): Whose modest locks were bound up in waiting for you!
From William Blake’s To Spring (circa late 18th century). This poem is in the public domain.
William Blake’s “To Spring” is an ardent invocation addressed directly to the season, casting Spring as a radiant entity who gently revives the earth. The speaker personifies Spring with “dewy locks,” “angel eyes,” and “holy feet,” suggesting a divine presence that ushers in renewal. The poem’s pastoral imagery—hills passing messages to valleys, perfumed garments, and pearls scattered upon a love-sick land—emphasizes how the natural world yearns for revitalization after winter’s dormancy.
Blake weaves together an almost mystical sense of anticipation, depicting the land as readying itself, hair bound in modest restraint, awaiting Spring’s crowning glory. Although the poem is brief, it maintains an intense focus on the transformative power of nature’s cyclical reawakening: Spring’s arrival heralds fresh energy, warmth, and creative potential. This dynamic vision reflects Blake’s broader poetic convictions—nature is not merely a backdrop but a living force intimately connected to the human spirit.
By portraying the coming of Spring as both tender and commanding, “To Spring” underscores Blake’s belief in a cosmos alive with divine breath. The poem becomes both a prayer and a celebration, urging readers to perceive the season’s blossoming not just as a change in weather, but as a soulful recharging of life’s essence.
Key points
1. Spring is personified as a sacred, transformative presence.
2. Vibrant natural imagery highlights the land’s longing for renewal.
3. Blake’s invocation addresses the intimacy between nature’s cycles and the human spirit.
4. The poem blends reverence and invitation, reminding us to embrace nature’s endless capacity for rebirth.
