The art of poetry

¶ … art of poetry: Discussion of the Introduction to William Blake's 'Songs of Innocence'

The Introduction to William Blake's "Songs of Innocence" is not only uplifting but it has a certain rhythmic quality that helps to contribute to the meaning that it has. As the title implies, it is meant to reflect innocence, but it also reflects joy, beauty, and simplicity, which often come along, at least in the mind, with the ideas of innocence and childhood. The Introduction accomplishes this by way of rhyme, but it is not just the act of rhyming that works so well for this particular endeavor but the type of rhyming that is used. Each line is relatively short, so that it utilizes simple language and childlike glee with what is taking place in order to help show that the poem is about innocence and joy. It is easy to visualize what is taking place based on the way that the Introduction is written and the reader can picture the scene that is happening before him or her.

In addition to this, the introduction tells a story of inspiration and how the individual in the Introduction (presumably Blake himself) was going along and was struck by the inspiration of a child on a cloud who wanted him to play his pipe (i.e. To make music). It was so beautiful that the child wept and wanted him to sing it, which he did. Again the child wept and determined that it was so beautiful that all should be allowed to experience it, which was why the child wanted it written down. The beauty that was written down is, presumably, the rest of the poetry that is contained in the book. Whether it actually holds that much beauty is something that could be argued and is not for debate here. The important issue here is that the way that the Introduction is written not only gives insight into the poems that are seen in the book but also expresses the heartfelt joy that Blake experienced in writing them and that he hopes the reader will experience as well. This is what he is trying to show and say through the use of the childlike and joyful rhyming of the Introduction.