A Thought

     My Mind. my master, my monster. You tell me how to breath, when to blink and who to trust. But who told you?  You started my first smile and moved my first steps. But who showed you? Guiding my every move, criticising all I do. Where did you get that power?

     Like a seed in a garden, it will be planted.  Planted deep in the soil, deep and distant in you.  So deep and so distant it is almost forgotten.  It will grow, first unnoticed, in the dirt, in your subconscious. Although it is still covered and undetected, it develops. In dreams it starts appearing, not knowing it friend or foe, you try to examine it, break it down to its core and make sense of it’s presence, but you are defenceless in dreams.

     The seed finally breaks through the surface and into you. You find it.  The little seedling is still to small to decipher as a flower or weed.  When you find it you analyse it, connect it to anything you can, generalizing and linking, trying to find patterns to determine the source and outcome. Giving it attention and focus, giving the seed sunlight and water.  It grows, but slowly. Once you have figured all you can, you focus on other thoughts, leaving the growing plant alone.  You wander around, moving through priorities, plans and past memories. You stay the longest in memories, lingering, hoping there you can feel warmth and satisfaction.  The plant takes advantage of your reminiscing, and although it has little rain and sun, it matures.  

     You come across it again and notice thorns appearing.  A weed, you must pull it out. But roses have thorns as well.  Knowing the risk, you water it and provide sunlight, caring for and watching it everyday. Waiting for a rose. It grows rapidly now, locking its roots deep and stretching out for the sunlight, for your attention.  Its mystery fascinates you, and you tend it.  More signs of a weed appear, but it’s deceit alters you perception.  

     It thrives on it’s own now, and has little dependence on you.  You realise your danger and try to pull the weed, but you can only rip the thorny leaves, the roots are still far in the soil and will take perseverance and and diligence to kill.  You cut it off from all sources of nutrient; no sun, no rain, no attention. It is difficult for you to ignore, because it’s roots and leaves are everywhere, leaving little space for you to go. As slow as it came, it diminishes. You pull and pull and finally the shallow roots unearth.  You are cautious of where you go and what you think. The weed become lesser and lesser. You know something can never be gone completely, but you keep it managed.  You analyze, generalize and link. Find patterns and discover the source and outcome. It is not gone, but it taught you something.  Something with deeper roots, to have a guard, be careful what you let in, and trust only what is true.  

Not so Prose Poem..(dont grade)

No more alarm, no more racing the sun out of bed. No more notes, William Blake who? No more feeling dead. No more rushing, no more being a mess, no more creative excuses. No more stress.

The final bell has not yet rung. Its almost here, I can taste it on my tongue
Three whole months of being free, already forgetting how to count from 1,2 3. Ding! There's the bell, flew out of there like I was flying from Hell.

Summer.

More sleep, more eat, more sleep, more moments to keep, more sun for fun, more days that are never done.

Wake up with the sun as my alarm, summer seems to have that kind of charm. No more understanding Keats, once again being familiar with my sheets. Get up to see what the day has in store, no more rushing out the door.

More river, more boats, no more trying to find Wordsworth quotes. More sand, more heat, more shoes that show my feet. More relaxed, more day, less moon. Summer never comes too soon.

Living life without a care, the suns big enough for all to share. I stay in it tell I can hardly feel, and my skin starts to curl and peel. Now I'm leather like my purse, doing this everyday will put me in a hearse. Summer makes everything shine, and the day is all mine. God, I love this feeling. Already a month passed, father time stop stealing!


More naps on the dunes, more windows down summer tunes. More places, more trips, more Television and potato chips.

As the sun starts to set, there is no place I'd rather be than barbequing with my whole family tree. I already smell the burgers are on as I make my way past the fridge, maybe later I'll read some Coleridge..Wait, I have no one to fool, there's still one month left tell school. Before we can eat, there is always a prayer to God. But this times odd, I don't have to fake, “Please God, no more Shelley, Byron, or Blake.”


More peace, less care. More late night truth or dare. More movies, more friends, more moments on my camera lens.


As I tuck myself in at night, falling asleep is no longer a fight. Feeling that this day was the best, I ask God for one more request, to have every day be summer and forget all the rest.

Innocence v. Experience

     William Blake’s Songs of Experience and Innocence show two contrary states of a human mind.  Songs of Innocence portrays the angelic, naive, outlook a child has, where as the Songs of Experience emphasises the corruption and negativity in the world. The Songs of Innocence is written from the perspective of a child or someone watching a child, giving the poems their sense of  innocence. Many of the poems draw attention to the positive aspect of innocence, such as in the “Chimney Sweeper” where Tom is content because of his childlike faith although his circumstances are unfavorable.  What leads both the Songs of Innocence and the Songs of Experience is their introduction poems; the Songs of Innocence “Introduction” is giddy and light hearted with pipers, children on clouds and singing. This “Introduction” seem some what simpler and easier to understand, and although it does contain foreshadowing and conceptual ideas, the Songs of Innocence remains childlike and cheery.  A line from the “Introduction” best depicts the innocence when stated, “And I made a rural pen, And I stain’d the water clear (Blake).  The songs of innocence was written with clear, untainted water, truly showing how a child is pure when innocent.  The childlike theme of lightheartedness shines when the child weeps with joys, hearing the piper sing, where as in the Songs of Experience “introduction” a somber weeping occurs.  “Calling the lapsed Soul, And weeping in the evening dew”(Blake).  Both introductions contain weeping but the weeping in the innocence is joy induced, where as in the experience “Introduction” lament occurs.  The Songs of Experience is more complex, confusing and abstract than the Songs of Innocence mirroring also the complexity of an experienced person; The experience “Introduction” acts as more of a cautionary, telling the reader to take in account the lessons taught by others who have already been through this part of  life.  The “Introduction” then goes on to confront a negative aspect of the world, asking God to help them. “‘Turn away no more;  Why wilt thou turn away? The starry floor, The wat’ry shore, Is giv’v thee till the break of day’”(Blake).  I think it is God who is being asked to not turn away because He is the one who has a starry floor and there is also a reference to the Holy Word.  The introductions to Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience, although parallel, are very contrasting; the innocence “Introduction” is angelic where as the experience “Introduction” has a somber feel.  The collection as a whole explores the benefits and negatives of two different perspectives.

A better understanding of "The Chimney Sweeper"

To understands Blake’s “The Chimney Sweeper” written in his Songs of Innocence, we must first have knowledge of the content he was writing about.  In the 17th century, the master sweep would employ young boys to climb and scramble up chimneys to brush clean the flue with small brushes and metal scrapers removing tar deposits caused by smoke.  The boys were apprentices and started as young as five years old, they were usually orphans, although others were sold into the trade by their families.  The conditions of the boys were harsh and cruel, they slept in cellars, seldom bathed and the years of accumulated  soot produced cancer. It was a dangerous job and climbing boys often choked and suffocated to death from the chimney air, boys also became stuck in narrow flues or fell causing more casualties. “The Chimney Sweeper ” by William Blake is written from the perspective of a little boy who was sold into the trade of chimney sweeping when he was still very young.  The boys friend Tom, who is also a chimney sweeper, becomes discouraged when his head gets shaved, in spite of this, the boy encourages Tom by stating that with no hair, no hair can get dirty.  That night Tom has a dream of other chimney sweepers in coffins and an angel with a key opens the coffins and “sets them free”. The chimney sweepers are clean, merry and go play. The angel then tells tom “if he'd be a good boy, He'd have God for his father, and never want joy” (Blake).  When Tom wakes, and goes to work, he is not affected by his harsh conditions because of what the angel told him.  This poem is placed in the Songs of Innocence because innocent children are associated with having a child-like faith; kids have no trouble believing in things an “experienced” adult would find unlikely.  If the angel had appeared to an adult, the result would of been different, instead of giving them hope, the “experienced” adult would know too well to have faith in something that could let you down.  Tom’s faith allows him to remove himself from his next days work and remain content in his situation. Being an innocent child, ignorance can also be implied. The term “ignorance is bliss” properly fits this poem; Tom, blinded by his faith, of his fate, can live in an internal world of bliss.  Innocence, although not always positive, saves Tom from the word around him, by hazing his perspective and giving him hope.

Inspiration Formulation

     While reading some of Blake’s short poetry I began to wonder where his inspiration formulated.  He created new creatures, words, and his poetry is obviously successful, so what gave him the extra flare that sets his work apart from so many other poets and artists. Ultimately I wondered, if it was his past experiences that inspired him, or does his inspiration come from within. In researching Blake’s life I looked for significant events that would serve as inspiration for his creations.  William Blake was born in London in 1757 to supportive parents that encouraged his interest in the arts.  At a young age, Blake was prone to visions of God  and angles, he also claimed to have conversations with his deceased brother.  At the age of ten, Blake followed his dreams of being an artist and joined a drawing school.  By 14 he was an apprentice for an engraver who also encouraged Blake to sketch and paint; engraving would later be his profession, but he was enchanted by the study of Gothic art and architecture.  In 1782 Blake married Catherine Boucher who was illiterate, but he soon taught her to read and write. His first publication was Poetical Sketches published in 1783, he engraved illustrations of his poems and other poets work as well. His publications continued with one of his most famous poems Marriage of Heaven and Hell published in 1793.  Blake moved twice in the next twenty years, once to Sussux where he illustrated work by William Hayley, and once to Fountain Court where he started a series of watercolors for Dante Ailghieris untill he died in 1827. I do not think Blake’s life, although interesting, was the inspiration for his work.  His visions could serve as inspiration, being significant, but he started creating at a young age, and I believe his inspiration came from somewhere within.  His imagination can be seen in many parts of his life and in all of his work.  The romantic poets often emphasised the importance of an active imagination, and Blake was no different.  In his internal world of imagination, Blake had visions, made creatures, and found the inspiration to create significant art and poetry.

Community Assignment: Marriage of Heaven and Hell

       The Marriage of Heaven and Hell By William Bake is a controversial and challenging piece of work to interpret, but an ambitious group of students decided to create a blog dedicated to  Blake’s Marriage of Heaven and Hell called heavenandhell.  I found this blog interesting and informative about one of Blake’s most famous writings, Marriage of Heaven and Hell.  Never reading it, I still felt I have a decent idea of the themes and points by exploring this blog.  This blog is full of content that is helpful to understanding the Marriage of Heaven and Hell.  It is very creative, with a relevant background and symbol  that adds to the content.  A video is also included, giving the viewer an option to experience part of the poem with artwork and music. The video also shows multiple quotes including this one, “Those who restrain desire, do so because they are week enough to be restrained”(Blake). Although I do not fully agree with this statement, it is one that lingers. Including quotes like this one on the blog leaves the viewer with food for thought, causing further research on Romanticism. Andy Abelein’s  The Meaning of "Marriage" In "The Marriage of Heaven and Hell" explains how the meaning of marriage is different to many people using the analogy of the game telephone.  Everyone hears what they think they hear and are upset others didn’t hear the same.  This analogy struck me and made me realise it is relevant to interpreting all poetry, everyone can gain something different.  Abelein did a good job of bringing up content that could pose many opinions, explaining the different sides, and displaying their points without diminishing any views.   This blog is important because it helps interpret and break down a difficult poem.  It brings up points of imagery and tackles symbolism that is complex and hard to decipher, giving the reader a better understanding of Blake’s poetry.  To someone who knows nothing of Romantic poetry, this blog is enticing and could serve as an entry to reading more romantic poetry and exploring other authors.  Ultimately, this blog is alluring and shines a positive light on Romantic poetry with creativity, but still remains relevant.

Coexist

Joesph Crawford explains the elusive style of “The Tyger” by comparing it to the parallel song “The Lamb” in his article "Of Lambs and Tygers: Joesph Crawford Succembs to the questioning spirit if Blake's Tyger rather than seek to confine its meaning." “The Lamb” is from the collection Songs of Innocence, and is written from the perspective of a child, resulting in a more simple poem that provides answers for the questions posed; were as “The Tyger” has less solid material that would unravel its meaning, making it more abstract and difficult to interpret. By dissecting each poem verse by verse, Crawford points out the contradicting ideas and conflicting content presented by both poems. Mirroring the Songs of Innocence to the Songs of Experience,  “The Lamb” and “The Tyger” fit together like a puzzle, but produce questioning and doubt, “First, while ‘The Tyger’ consists only of questions, ‘The Lamb’ consists of a series of questions followed by a series of answers. The crucial question, in each case, is ‘who made thee’”(Crawford).  This shines light on the ambiguity of Blake’s songs of experience; focusing on “The Tyger” causes a sense of disturbance and confusion about the creator, leaving the reader responsible for his own interpretation.  “The Tyger” is mysterious not because of how it was made, but why it was made;  it is easy for a child to believe a god made a meek, mild animal, but it is difficult to comprehend why a god would make an animal that is designed to injure and kill.  If a god did make the ‘tyger’, what does that imply about this god, is he amused by a violent animal placed on the earth with a defenseless animal? Or is there a God at all?  Crawford’s article leaves many questions open, only stating his direct opinion in few places.  Crawford also touches on the switch from innocence to experience in a child, suggesting that the change can start from within, like a growing idea or “fueled flame”, or the change can be started by an outside influence; either way, he coming of age is associated with loss of faith.

         Blake’s theme of innocence and experience is included in many of his short poems, but what is he trying to portray by dividing, then connecting his Songs of Innocence to his Songs of  Experience?  Crawford suggests that Blake’s doing this opens the door for other questions about the creator and the switch from innocence to experience.  I agree with many ideas in the article, but my thoughts differ when Crawford goes on to say that there is a possibility of two separate creators, and that a loss of innocence correlates with a loss of faith in a deity. Blake causes his readers to question if they believe in a god that can create an innocent animal along side an animal who is an experienced killer; while reading the Song of Innocence and Songs of Experience, I concluded that the same god did make both a meek and a vicious animal, and although he is humble and benevolent, he is also powerful and just, providing his creations free will to choose good or evil, causing the immorality. The switch from innocence to experience can produce a change in perception, no longer is the world simply good and evil, evil can be appealing and doing good can hurt. No longer can child like faith produce fulfillment, and myopic vision shelter from the corruption around.  As we grow older, we may lose our child-like faith, but we also gain knowledge; it may become more difficult to believe in bazaar miracles, including the belief of eternal life. With knowledge comes the realization that if there is no god to believe in, we have nothing but the corrupt world we live in.   Blake’s Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience acknowledges both good and evil; faith and doubt causing the reader to ponder how and why both can coexist. Ultimately causing reflection on personal beliefs and morality.  I do not think there is one right answer to all the questions posed in Blake’s “The Tyger”, the goal is to challenge the reader to self evaluate who they are, taking in account their values and beliefs.