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London (poem)




''London'' is a poem by William Blake , published in '' Songs Of Experience '' in 1794. It is the only poem in ''Songs of Experience'' which does not have a corresponding poem in '' Songs Of Innocence ''.

The poem was published during the aftermath of the French revolution. William Blake was an unorthodox Christian of the dissenting tradition, who felt that the state was abandoning those in need. He was heavily influenced by mystical groups, and believed he had conversations with his dead brother BBC: Blake's 'London' . The poem reflects Blake's extreme disillusionment with the suffering he saw in London Edexcel GCE English Language and Language and Literature Poetry Anthology Teachers' Guidance, pg 4..


TEXT OF THE POEM


I wander thro' each charter'd street,
Near where the charter'd Thames does flow
And mark in every face I meet
Marks of weakness, marks of woe.

In every cry of every Man,
In every Infants cry of fear,
In every voice: in every ban,
The mind-forg'd manacles I hear

How the Chimney-sweepers cry
Every blackning Church appalls,
And the hapless Soldiers sigh
Runs in blood down Palace walls.

But most thro' midnight streets I hear
How the youthful Harlots curse
Blasts the new-born Infants tear,
And blights with plagues the Marriage hearse.



INFLUENCE

  • The Verve 's 1995 hit single, " History" , is an uncredited paraphrase of the first two verses of this poem.

  • Tangerine Dream 's 1987 album, "Tyger" is built around a number of William Blake's poems, including this one.



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