From the preface to "Milton", William Blake

And did those feet in ancient times
Walk upon England's mountains green?
And was the very Lamb of God
In England's pleasant pastures seen?

And did the Countenance Divine
Shine forth upon these clouded hills?
And was Jerusalem builded here
Among these dark Satanic mills?

Bring me my bow of burning gold,
Bring me my arrows of desire,
Bring me my spear--o clouds, unfold!
Bring me my chariot of fire!

I shall not stay from mental fight
Nor shall my sword sleep in my hand
'Til we have built Jerusalem
In England's green and pleasant land.

***

William Blake is one of my favorite poets, and this might be my favorite of his poems. Just to offer a little background, one of the (many, many) legends about what Jesus did between the ages of 12 and 30 is that he came to England and lived in Cornwall; that's the story Blake is referencing here. This poem has been set to music and is sung as a hymn in Anglican services, which I think is pretty cool. (Obviously, it would have much less emotional resonance outside of England, which I would suppose explains why I have never heard it sung here.) The movie Chariots of Fire takes its title from this poem (which gets it from the ascension of Elijah into heaven in Kings, of course.)