In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?
In what distant deeps or skies
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
On what wings dare he aspire?
What the hand dare seize the fire?
And what shoulder and what art
Could twist the sinews of thy heart?
And when thy heart began to beat,
What dread hand and what dread feet?
What the hammer? what the chain?
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? What dread grasp
Dare its deadly terrors clasp?
When the stars threw down their spears,
And water’d heaven with their tears,
Did He smile His work to see?
Did He who made the lamb make thee?
Tiger, tiger, burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?
William Blake (1757–1827)
Poem animation...
Poem explanation...
Contemporary poem rendition...
'Tiger in the night' (Katie Melua)
You are the tiger burning bright
Deep in the forest of my night
You are the one who keeps me strong in this world
You sleep by the silent cooling streams
Down in the darkness of my dreams
All of my life I never knew
You were the dream I'd see come true
You are the tiger burning bright
I was the one who looked so hard I could not see.
Now I could never live without the love you give to me.
I lived like a wild and lonely soul,
Lost in a dream beyond control.
You were the one who brought me home down to earth.
For you are the tiger burning bright
Deep in the forest of my night
All of my life I never knew
You were the dream I'd see come true
You are the tiger burning bright
Deep in the forest of my night
You are the one who keeps me strong in this world
You sleep by the silent cooling streams
Down in the darkness of my dreams
All of my life I never knew
You were the dream I'd see come true
You are the tiger burning bright
I was the one who looked so hard I could not see.
Now I could never live without the love you give to me.
I lived like a wild and lonely soul,
Lost in a dream beyond control.
You were the one who brought me home down to earth.
For you are the tiger burning bright
Deep in the forest of my night
All of my life I never knew
You were the dream I'd see come true
You are the tiger burning bright
______
