Not too long ago as my boyfriend and I were watching the Doctor Who episode “In the Forest of the Night” (him for the first time and me for the…10th time?), I was explaining to him that the episode title comes from the William Blake poem “The Tyger.”

“Tyger Tyger, burning bright,

In the forests of the night,”

I quoted. (Somehow, ever since I read the poem in my college Brit Lit class, the first stanza has always stuck with me.)

Without missing a beat my boyfriend continued:

“What immortal hand or eye,

Could frame thy fearful symmetry?“

Needless to say, I tackled him with joy. Can you tackle people with joy? I’m making that a thing now.

Anyway, this is an amazing poem. The imagery is incredible and Blake’s words make you think about the God who created both the tiger and the lamb.

“Tyger Tyger, 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, & what art, 
Could twist the sinews of thy heart? 
And when thy heart began to beat, 
What dread hand? & 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 water’d heaven with their tears: 
Did he smile his work to see? 
Did he who made the Lamb make thee? 

Tyger Tyger burning bright,
In the forests of the night:
What immortal hand or eye,
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?”