An old maid early eer I knew

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From Notebook, p. 100, reversed. See also: Songs and Ballads.

200727Notebook 58. An old maid early eer I knewWilliam Blake

Notebook 58 - O I cannot cannot find

1st reading:[1]

[edit]

 * * *

2 O, I cannot, cannot find
   The undaunted courage of a Virgin Mind,
   For Early I in love was crost,
   Before my flower of love was lost.

1 An old maid early—e'er I knew
   Ought but the love that on me grew;
   And now I'm cover'd o'er & o'er
   And wish that I had been a Whore

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2nd reading:[2]

[edit]


 * * *

An old maid early eer I knew
Ought but the love that on me grew
And now Im coverd oer & oer
And wish that I had been a Whore

O I cannot cannot find
The undaunted courage of a Virgin Mind
For Early I in love was crost
Before my flower of love was lost[3]
 

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  1. "Blake Complete Writings", ed. Geoffrey Keynes, pub. OUP 1966/85, p. 184.
  2. "The Complete Poetry & Prose of William Blake", ed. by David V. Erdman, Anchor Books, 1988, p. 465.
  3. An old maid early eer I knew N 100 rev
    The two stanzas were written in reverse order but then numbered 2, 1.

This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.

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