The Poetry Corner

If It Is True What The Prophets Write

By William Blake

If it is true, what the Prophets write, That the heathen gods are all stocks and stones, Shall we, for the sake of being polite, Feed them with the juice of our marrow-bones? And if Bezaleel and Aholiab drew What the finger of God pointed to their view, Shall we suffer the Roman and Grecian rods To compel us to worship them as gods? They stole them from the temple of the Lord And worshipp'd them that they might make inspird art abhorr'd; The wood and stone were call'd the holy things, And their sublime intent given to their kings. All the atonements of Jehovah spurn'd, And criminals to sacrifices turn'd.