I rose up at the dawn of day–
`Get thee away! get thee away!
Pray’st thou for riches? Away! away!
This is the Throne of Mammon grey.’
Said I: This, sure, is very odd;
I took it to be the Throne of God.
For everything besides I have:
It is only for riches that I can crave.
I have mental joy, and mental health,
And mental friends, and mental wealth;
I’ve a wife I love, and that loves me;
I’ve all but riches bodily.
I am in God’s presence night and day,
And He never turns His face away;
The accuser of sins by my side doth stand,
And he holds my money-bag in his hand.
For my worldly things God makes him pay,
And he’d pay for more if to him I would pray;
And so you may do the worst you can do;
Be assur’d, Mr. Devil, I won’t pray to you.
Then if for riches I must not pray,
God knows, I little of prayers need say;
So, as a church is known by its steeple,
If I pray it must be for other people.
He says, if I do not worship him for a God,
I shall eat coarser food, and go worse shod;
So, as I don’t value such things as these,
You must do, Mr. Devil, just as God please.
(William Blake)
More Poetry from William Blake:
William Blake Poems based on Topics: Love, Joy & Excitement, God, Friendship, Money & Wealth, Devils, Food, Christianity, Sin, Prayers, Health- America, A Prophecy (William Blake Poems)
- A War Song to Englishmen (William Blake Poems)
- A Little Girl Lost (William Blake Poems)
- A Little Boy Lost (William Blake Poems)
- But in the Wine-presses the Human Grapes Sing not nor Dance (William Blake Poems)
- Devine Image (William Blake Poems)
Readers Who Like This Poem Also Like:
Based on Topics: Love Poems, God Poems, Joy & Excitement Poems, Friendship Poems, Christianity Poems, Money & Wealth Poems, Prayers Poems, People Poems, Sin Poems, Food Poems, Health PoemsBased on Keywords: odd, sure, pay, turns, eat, known, night, loves, won, need, doth