We Were Made for Joy and Woe

Man was made for Joy & Woe;
And when this we rightly know
Thro’ the World we safely go.
Joy & Woe are woven fine,
A Clothing for the Soul divine;
Under every grief & pine
Runs a joy with silken twine.

— William Blake, 1803 
Poet and artist
From Auguries of Innocence

Today’s Invitation

Remember that woe and joy are cyclical.

This Week’s Query

How has grief changed your spirituality?

What does Quaker faith and spirituality offer you in the face of pain?

Share your response!

Banner image: Richard Brown Lethem
Read the source of today’s quote

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Author

  • William Blake (1757 – 1827) was an English poet, painter, and printmaker. He has become a seminal figure in the history of the poetry and visual art of the Romantic Age. He produced a diverse and symbolically rich collection of works, which embraced the imagination as "the body of God," or "human existence itself."

    View all posts