One was on laudanum, the other was a natural, but both had visions of Jerusalem on Oxford Street. Niall McDevitt leads a poetopographical walk through Soho in honour of Blake’s death-day Aug 12 and De Quincey’s birthday Aug 15.
‘There is in Albion a Gate of precious stones and gold
‘There is in Albion a Gate of precious stones and gold
Seen only by Emanations, vegetations viewless
Bending across the road of Oxford Street’
– Blake (Jerusalem)
‘Oxford Street, stony-hearted step-mother! thou that listenest to the sighs of orphans and drinkest the tears of children’
‘Oxford Street, stony-hearted step-mother! thou that listenest to the sighs of orphans and drinkest the tears of children’
…………………………………………..– De Quincey (Confessions of an English Opium-Eater)
Meeting at 17 South Molton Street (Bond St tube) 2pm Sat Aug 15 £5
Meeting at 17 South Molton Street (Bond St tube) 2pm Sat Aug 15 £5
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Their unfortunate use of Jerusalem – the centre of present geo-political evil – as metaphor has sadly dated their work…
Comment by Roddy on 14 August, 2015 at 9:44 amBollocks. What about Jez Butterworth’s Jerusalem? The biggest hit play of the 21st century. What about Alan Moore’s soon to be released million word graphic novel Jerusalem? I’ll be giving a lecture on this very idea at a Blake seminar in September. http://www.deepmemoryprocess.com/page197.html
Comment by Niall McDevitt on 14 August, 2015 at 10:10 am