He who binds to himself a joy does the winged life destroy… — William Blake | Printable Wall Art

“He who binds to himself a joy does the winged life destroy; but he who kisses the joy as it flies lives in eternity's sunrise.”

Words by William Blake (1757-1827) — English poet and painter.

About this quote

Blake suggests that trying to possess or cling to joyful moments ruins their fleeting nature. Happiness is delicate and dynamic, like a winged creature. When we accept that light moments are temporary and appreciate them fully as they pass, we experience a deeper, timeless kind of peace rather than the frustration of trying to hold on to the past.

This short poem, often titled Eternity, was written by William Blake in his notebook around 1793. It reflects his Romantic era beliefs regarding freedom, imagination, and the danger of spiritual and emotional constraint.

People often hang this print in a bedroom or study to encourage mindfulness and a gentle start to each day.

What you get

An instant digital download. Choose your design and size at checkout — 18 typographic designs and 8 print sizes are available for this quote.

• Print-ready PDF with fully embedded vector type — sharp at any scale
• Exact trim size, no cropping required
• Print at home, at a local print shop, or upload to an online printer
• Instant download — no physical item is shipped

Sizes available

5" x 7" · 8" x 10" · 11" x 14" · 12" x 16" · 16" x 20" · 18" x 24" · 24" x 36" · A4 (21 x 29.7 cm)

Designs available

Atelier Serif · Quiet Garamond · Studio Left · Gallery Rule · Midnight Serif · Editorial Left Serif · Modern Sans Calm · Letterpress Caps · Poster Condensed · Manuscript Italic · Asymmetric Left · Minimal Unsigned · Charcoal Sans · Gallery Frame · Soft Serif Right · Statement Serif · Tracked Caps Unsigned · Editorial Justified

Digital product. Colours may vary slightly between screens and printers. Frames and props are not included.