Of Shame and Joy

O Rose thou art sick.The invisible worm, That flies in the nightIn the howling storm: Has found out thy bedOf crimson joy: And his dark secret loveDoes thy life destroy.Those eight lines constitute the complete text of "The Sick Rose," published by William Blake in SONGS OF EXPERIENCE in 1794. I took to Blake early on, and thought OF CRIMSON JOY would make a dandy title. I accordingly fastened it on this novel when I sent the manuscript to Harry Shorten at Midwood. Someone there changed the...