The Tiger
Tiger! Tiger! burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?
In what distant deeps or skies
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
On what wings dare he aspire?
What the hand dare seize the fire?
And what shoulder, and what art,
Could twist the sinews of thy heart?
And when thy heart began to beat,
What dread hand? and what dread feet?
What the hammer? what the chain?
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? what dread grasp
Dare its deadly terrors clasp?
When the stars threw down their spears,
And watered heaven with their tears,
Did he smile his work to see?
Did he who made the Lamb make thee?
Tiger! Tiger! burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?
frame (verb): to shape or construct
thy (adjective): your (old English)
symmetry (noun): something that is exactly the same on both sides
deeps (noun): seas
thine (pronoun): your (old English)
aspire (verb): to desire or hope to achieve something
seize (verb): to take
dread (adjective): awe-inspiring; revered
sinews (noun): tissue that connects muscles and bones
anvil (noun): a heavy metal block with a pointy end, used for shaping metal
grasp (noun): the act of holding onto something with strength
spear (noun): a long weapon with a pointy tip, used for throwing
Lamb (noun): young sheep (but why a capital "L"?)