William Blake’s illuminated poetry
The Cloud in Thel
Called down by the Lilly, the Cloud answers Thel’s worry that something which vanishes must be lost altogether. Its speech links passing away with renewed life, descent as dew and care of flowers. Thel replies that she enjoys flowers and birds without feeding them, and fears becoming only food for worms. The Cloud answers by insisting that living things do not live for themselves alone, then calls the Worm into the conversation. This is the poem’s account of a speaking Cloud; its language joins natural processes with a visionary world rather than supplying a scientific theory of weather.
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In the sources
Passing and renewal
LiteraryThe Cloud links its disappearance with renewed life and the descent of dew upon flowers.
The conversation moves onward
LiteraryAfter calling the Worm, the Cloud sails away to find its partner in the vale.
Context & interpretation
This account follows the exact coloured facsimile selected for Lumitheca’s The Book of Thel. The page references identify this eight-leaf sequence, not a universal plate order or the colouring of every surviving copy. The speakers are characters and personifications within Blake’s poem; the entry makes no claim that they document independently existing beings.
Original passages
Source 1
The Book of Thel
when I pass awayOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: Section II, the Cloud’s account of passing away
Actual checksum-verified active Reader scan inspected. Short quotation transcribed from the scan; line breaks and spacing normalised.
- Edition
- IMJ-0371-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0371-E001-P0005
- Original scan leaf
- 5
- Recorded leaf number
- 5
- Current Reader position
- 6
- Reader verification
- Matches the reviewed Reader
Source 2
The Book of Thel
And the bright Cloud saild onOpen this page in the book
Passage & edition details
Location recorded at citation review: End of Section II and opening of Section III
Actual checksum-verified active Reader scan inspected. Short quotation transcribed from the scan; line breaks and spacing normalised.
- Edition
- IMJ-0371-E001
- Reader page
- IMJ-0371-E001-P0006
- Original scan leaf
- 6
- Recorded leaf number
- 6
- Current Reader position
- 7
- Reader verification
- Matches the reviewed Reader
Illustrations
Continue exploring
The Clod of Clay in Thel
The nurturing earth that tends the Worm and invites Thel into its house without compelling her to remain.
Shared source pageThe Worm in Thel
The helpless, infant-like creature whose vulnerability draws the Clod of Clay’s care.
Shared illustrationThe Lilly in Thel
The small flower that answers Thel’s fear of extinction by describing care received and nourishment given.
Shared illustrationThe Vales of Har
The flower-filled home from which Thel questions passing life and to which she returns after her descent.