I asked a Thief. Poems from the Rossetti MS.: Earlier Poems. William Blake. 1908. The Poetical Works

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William Blake (1757–1827). The Poetical Works. 1908.

Poems from the Rossetti MS.: Earlier Poems

I askèd a Thief


I ASKÈD 1 a thief to steal me a peach:
He turnèd up his eyes.
I ask’d a lithe lady to lie her down:
Holy and meek, she cries.

As soon as I went	5
An Angel came:
He wink’d at the thief,
And smil’d at the dame;

And without one word said
Had a peach from the tree,	10
And still as a maid
Enjoy’d the lady.

Note 1. I asked a Thief] 2 And he turnèd etc. MS. 1st rdg. del. 5, 6 Blake writes as a single line. 7 He] And he MS. 1st rdg. del. 9 said] spoke MS. 1st rdg. del. 11 And ’twixt earnest and joke MS. 1st rdg. del. 12 Enjoy’d] He enjoy’d MS. 1st rdg. del. [back]

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