15 Nov 2023

I Went to the Garden of Love

I went to the Garden of Love

— I went to William Blake’s Garden of Love and what I found was hope. I found that after dark, there is light. I found that dark skies open up to blue skies. As I read William Blake’s poem, I kept relating to the things he talked about but in a positive and hopeful manner. That is what I am attempting with this photo I captured here in Austin a few weeks ago at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center. The dark lower half of the image leads up to light and blue skies. All the missing things were still there: the green fields, open spaces, sweet flowers, and trees. If you have never read Blake’s poem, here it is.

The Garden of Love
BY William Blake
I went to the Garden of Love,
And saw what I never had seen:
A Chapel was built in the midst,
Where I used to play on the green.
And the gates of this Chapel were shut,
And ‘Thou shalt not’ writ over the door;
So I turn’d to the Garden of Love,
That so many sweet flowers bore. 
And I saw it was filled with graves,
And tomb-stones where flowers should be:
And Priests in black gowns, were walking their rounds,
And binding with briars, my joys & desires.
This post was created for Denzil’s Nature photo challenge on trees.

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14 Responses

  1. Rebecca Cuningham
    | Reply

    Beautiful tree. We love the Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center. We lived in Austin when it was built.

    • Egídio Leitão
      | Reply

      Thank you, Rebecca. I really like the Wildflower Ctr.

  2. pattimoed
    | Reply

    Beautiful post, Egidio. Lovely! The poem and image work so well together.

    • Egídio Leitão
      | Reply

      Patti, thanks for the feedback. I was not sure the contrast of the poem and my positive response would echo well.

  3. 100 Country Trek
    | Reply

    Thanks for sharing this idea Anita

  4. Tra Italia e Finlandia
    | Reply

    Fotografia stupenda…ma anche l’albero stesso è davvero bello.

  5. margaret21
    | Reply

    A lovely blend of words and image.

  6. nesfelicio
    | Reply

    An apt image for the poem, or rather a positive response to it.

    • Egídio Leitão
      | Reply

      Thank you for the feedback. I guess I am the type of person who sees a glass half full.

  7. Anne Sandler
    | Reply

    Great angle of the tree!

    • Egídio Leitão
      | Reply

      Thanks, Anne. I love that perspective when photographing trees.

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