Grade 6: "The Human Abstract" by William Blake

This poem by William Blake, from his 1794 collection, Songs of Experience, explores the roots of human virtues like pity and mercy.
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. pity
    a feeling of sympathy and sorrow for misfortunes of others
    Pity would be no more
    If we did not make somebody poor;
    And Mercy no more could be
    If all were as happy as we.
  2. mercy
    the feeling that motivates compassion
    Pity would be no more
    If we did not make somebody poor;
    And Mercy no more could be
    If all were as happy as we.
  3. mutual
    concerning each of two or more persons or things
    And mutual fear brings peace,
    Till the selfish loves increase;
    Then Cruelty knits a snare,
    And spreads his baits with care.
  4. selfish
    concerned chiefly with your own advantage
    And mutual fear brings peace,
    Till the selfish loves increase;
    Then Cruelty knits a snare,
    And spreads his baits with care.
  5. cruelty
    the quality of being able or disposed to inflict pain
    And mutual fear brings peace,
    Till the selfish loves increase;
    Then Cruelty knits a snare,
    And spreads his baits with care.
  6. snare
    something that catches you unawares
    And mutual fear brings peace,
    Till the selfish loves increase;
    Then Cruelty knits a snare,
    And spreads his baits with care.
  7. bait
    anything that serves as an enticement
    And mutual fear brings peace,
    Till the selfish loves increase;
    Then Cruelty knits a snare,
    And spreads his baits with care.
  8. holy
    belonging to or associated with a divine power
    He sits down with holy fears,
    And waters the ground with tears;
    Then Humility takes its root
    Underneath his foot.
  9. humility
    a lack of arrogance or false pride
    He sits down with holy fears,
    And waters the ground with tears;
    Then Humility takes its root
    Underneath his foot.
  10. dismal
    causing dejection
    Soon spreads the dismal shade
    Of Mystery over his head;
    And the caterpillar and fly
    Feed on the Mystery.
  11. mystery
    something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained
    Soon spreads the dismal shade
    Of Mystery over his head;
    And the caterpillar and fly
    Feed on the Mystery.
  12. bear
    bring forth
    And it bears the fruit of Deceit,
    Ruddy and sweet to eat;
    And the raven his nest has made
    In its thickest shade.
  13. deceit
    a misleading falsehood
    And it bears the fruit of Deceit,
    Ruddy and sweet to eat;
    And the raven his nest has made
    In its thickest shade.
  14. ruddy
    of the color between orange and purple in the color spectrum
    And it bears the fruit of Deceit,
    Ruddy and sweet to eat;
    And the raven his nest has made
    In its thickest shade.
  15. in vain
    without a successful result or effect
    The Gods of the earth and sea
    Sought thro’ Nature to find this tree;
    But their search was all in vain:
    There grows one in the Human brain.
Created on Thu Mar 26 12:46:00 EDT 2026 (updated Wed Apr 08 12:24:10 EDT 2026)

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