Blake describes the suffering he observes in the streets of London. He hears and sees signs of weakness and woe on the faces of those he passes. In every cry he detects mind-forged manacles. Whether it is the cries of chimney sweeps or sighs of hapless soldiers, blood runs down palace walls. Most disturbing are the curses of harlots throughout the night that blast newborns tears and plague marriage itself.

1. London
by William
Blake
THE ENGLISH LOVERS

2. I wander thro' each charter'd street,
Near where the charter'd Thames does flow.
And mark in every face I meet
Marks of weakness, marks of woe.
In every cry of every Man,
In every Infants cry of fear,
In every voice: in every ban,
The mind-forg'd manacles I hear

3. How the Chimney-sweepers cry
Every blackening Church appalls,
And the hapless Soldiers sigh
Runs in blood down Palace walls
But most thro' midnight streets I hear
How the youthful Harlots curse
Blasts the new-born Infants tear
And blights with plagues the Marriage hearse

4. THE ENGLISH LOVERS

5. THE ENGLISH LOVERS