Holy Thursday
By Willaim Blake
Is this a holy thing to see.
In a rich
and fruitful land.
Babes
reduced to misery.
Fed with
cold and usurous hand?
Is that
trembling cry a song?
Can it be a
song of joy?
And so many
children poor?
It is a
land of poverty!
And their
sun does never shine.
And their
fields are bleak & bare.
And their
ways are fill'd with thorns
It is
eternal winter there.
For
where-e'er the sun does shine.
And
where-e'er the rain does fall:
Babe can
never hunger there,
Nor poverty
the mind appall.
The poem by William Blake was first publish in “Songs of Experience” in 1794.
It is sister poem of the same name which appeared in the “Songs of Innocence”
with contrasting ideas. Both describe an old tradition in which orphaned or abandoned
kids housed in London’s “charity schools” paraded to St. Paul’s Cathedral on
Holy Thursday, a Christian holiday during Easter week. In the first poem, a
soft-hearted speaker is touched by the children’s innocence and their sweet
singing in church. In this poem, by contrast, an angry speaker lets loose a
tirade against the children’s self-satisfied guardians and against poverty in
general. Blake makes use of the irony to criticize the church and any reader
who feels they or the city is doing enough for the poor children.
First Stanza
Blake begins by questioning the holiness of the scene he describes. The
“rich and fruitful land” refers to England, which was wealthy and prosperous
during Blake’s time. However, he contrasts this prosperity with the misery of
the children, referred to as “babes.” These children are described as being
“reduced to misery,” highlighting the extreme poverty they endure. The phrase
“fed with cold and usurous hand” suggesting that the care provided to these
children is insufficient and given with a lack of warmth or genuine concern.
“Usurous” implies that this aid is given in a grudging, exploitative manner,
perhaps hinting at the financial exploitation common in Blake’s era.
Second Stanza
In this stanza, Blake questions whether the sounds of the children,
which should be joyful songs, are truly expression of happiness. He describes
their singing as a “trembling cry”, suggesting fear and suffering rather than
joy. The poet is appalled by the sight of so many impoverished children in a
country that claims to be wealthy and blessed. Blake concludes with a stark
statement: “It is a land of poverty!” This highlights the stark contrast
between England’s wealth and the widespread poverty affecting its most
vulnerable citizens.
Third Stanza
Blake uses metaphorical language to depict the children’s bleak
existence. “Their sun does never shine” suggest a life without hope or
happiness. The “fields are bleak and bare,” symbolizing the barrenness and
hardship in their lives. “Their ways are filled with thorns” indicates the
constant struggles and obstacles they face. Blake describes their situation as “eternal
winter,” a powerful image of perpetual suffering and despair, implying that
there is no respite or change in their harsh conditions.
Fourth Stanza
In the final stanza, Blake contrasts the ideal world with the reality he
has described. In a truly just and caring society, where the “sun does shine”
and the “rain does fall,” children would not suffer from hunger or poverty. This
suggests that in a land where natural resources are fairly distributed and
where there is compassion, there would be no such misery. The ideal world Blake
envisions is one where no child experiences hunger and no mind is tormented by
poverty. This stanza serves as a critique of the existing social order and
implies a call for a more equitable and humane society.
The poem uses stark imagery and rhetorical questions to criticize the
social conditions of his time, highlighting the contrast between the nation’s
wealth and the abject poverty of its children. The poem serves as a powerful
social commentary, urging readers to reflect on the injustices present in the
society.
Comments
Post a Comment