I love to rise in a summer morn,
When the birds sing on every tree;
The distant huntsman winds his horn,
And the sky-lark sings with me.
O! what sweet company.
But to go to school in a summer morn,
O! it drives all joy away;
Under a cruel eye outworn.
The little ones spend the day,
In sighing and dismay.
Ah! then at times I drooping sit,
And spend many an anxious hour,
Nor in my book can I take delight,
Nor sit in learnings bower,
Worn thro' with the dreary shower.
How can the bird that is born for joy,
Sit in a cage and sing.
How can a child when fears annoy.
But droop his tender wing.
And forget his youthful spring.
O! father & mother. if buds are nip'd,
And blossoms blown away,
And if the tender plants are strip'd
Of their joy in the springing day,
By sorrow and care's dismay.
How shall the summer arise in joy.
Or the summer fruits appear.
Or how shall we gather what griefs destroy
Or bless the mellowing year.
When the blasts of winter appear.
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i agree
From guest hislooo (contact)
i 120% agree with you, ur writing skills are amazing and i have taken part of it for my essay i am writing on this, i will be sure to give u credit for part of it . pleas keep up the good work -
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schoolboy
From guest mushball77 (contact)
this poem is true but is justso old fshioned and boring!!! espically because my english teacher told me 2 write a letter on how i agree and disagree! but i totally agree with blake >>>>>mushball77<<<<<< -
I love this poem , it totaly tells the truth about how some kids feel in school ! I can totaly relate to it and how he must have felt ! I really agree with what Blake had to say in this poem .
lots of love to evryone who agrees with me xx sarah xx -
"How can the bird that is born for joy,
Sit in a cage and sing.
How can a child when fears annoy.
But droop his tender wing."
this is altogether a very beautiful innocent thought -
I love this poem,it tells the truth of a young childs thoughts of school.
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this poem is great
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FAB! Thanks for helping with my homework! I LOVE THIS POMEM! it is just how i feel at school.
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i tolatly agree with Blake
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Blake appears to be protesing about the education system i dont agree with Blake as although in school we are contricted to a classroom, school not only provides basic education but gives us the chance to interact with others are own age.
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Nicely stated.
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I'm writing a creative response to this poem in my literature class at the moment. Blake wrote this for the songs of experience and then moved it to the songs of innocence - showing that it has the innocent perspective. Blake valued education but did not value the prison-like system in which schooling is given.
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No, Blake did have experience in school. He stayed in for a few years, but was absolutely miserable there. Then he father pulled him out for those reasons, plus some others.
I am having trouble determining exactly what your argument is here, though. Is it that you think school does have benefits, and that Blake overlooked them? If so, what would those benefits be? -
Isn't it a little inconsistent that Blake would talk about schooling, while disregarding all the factors of school itself? Blake's use of language suggest that going to school has no benefits. and suggested by leighost, he obvious have no experience in school and therefore overtly biased.
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really meaning full poem
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Actually, William Blake was homeschooled by his father from a very young age because he hated school, and look where it got him?
I respect your oppinion, however, and I am glad that you are attending a good school. I personally did not have that pleasure.
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He is right but also wrong
I am only 11. I have only read this poem and another poem by william and i think that he is right but wrong n a way. I like school and look where it got William. I am determined to become a teacher and like william i will keep looking ahead. Thanks,
Gemma. -
What if books are what you enjoy? What if losing yourself in the pages of a book is what gives you joy?
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William Blake is genius
I agree with blake as well. I know i dont wonna be spending my spring days indoors stuck in a book. some of the stuff we learn in school is just unnessecary for life anyways and just doesnt interest me. its stuff ill never use. we should be enjoying life and learning things from experience, not by reading about it and memorizing it. theres a fine line between wisdom and knowledge. i dont like the idea of school because it takes the joy out of my day which, kills creativity. i think parents should be the ones to teach their kids what they should know for life. but society would never allow that because we have to become a supernation. i dont think life was meant to be spent prioritizing. life was meant to be enjoy. you have a choice, you can either be alive or just breathing. -
Great piece
I agree with Blake. I homeschooled from 2nd grade through college. I'm now in college, and I'm 15, so I'd say that getting a non-traditional education in my early years did me some good. I know that Blake's background is a bit different, but it's along the same lines: public school isn't for everybody. In fact, and this is just my oppinion, public school is for almost no one. So, go Blake.
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Blasts of winter. Stroung
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