CCheng515
11-25-2007, 02:24 PM
Something I've been interested in lately is how different poets of various eras (usually) have unique interpretations of Love. So to start a little game/eye-opening experience is this:
1. Pick a Love Poem (old, new, whatever) and type it in
2. Give us some analysis on what this poet is saying about love
3. A statement on how this relates to previous postings
I'll start:
(William Blake, Songs of Experience)
The CLOD & the PEBBLE
"Love seeketh not Itself to please,
"Nor for itself hath any care,
"But for another gives its ease,
"And builds a Heaven in Hell's despair
So sang a little Clod of Clay
Trodden with the cattle's feet,
But with a Pebble of the brook
Warbled out these metres meet:
"Love seeketh only Self to please,
"To bind another to Its delight,
"Joys in another's loss of ease,
"And builds a Hell in Heaven's despite"
Blake attempts to show how the definition of "Love" is not constant and often conflicting between two different people (or objects in this poem). He uses the CLOD and PEBBLE to show the degree of contrast (and to polarize) the aspect of love. On the one hand, we have a CLOD of dirt bereft of water and clinging on to only so few experiences; on the other hand, we have a PEBBLe of the brook who is constantly bombarded with Water (a symbol for experience). Thus Blake states that love is the one true source of happiness (essentially being smitten/ridiculously infatuated) thing only for the inexperienced (The CLODS) while those who have learned from experience (the PEBBLES) have seen that the definition of Love does not neccessarily mean for happy ends.
(If my interpretation in completely wrong, do say so and make me look as foolish as possible)
1. Pick a Love Poem (old, new, whatever) and type it in
2. Give us some analysis on what this poet is saying about love
3. A statement on how this relates to previous postings
I'll start:
(William Blake, Songs of Experience)
The CLOD & the PEBBLE
"Love seeketh not Itself to please,
"Nor for itself hath any care,
"But for another gives its ease,
"And builds a Heaven in Hell's despair
So sang a little Clod of Clay
Trodden with the cattle's feet,
But with a Pebble of the brook
Warbled out these metres meet:
"Love seeketh only Self to please,
"To bind another to Its delight,
"Joys in another's loss of ease,
"And builds a Hell in Heaven's despite"
Blake attempts to show how the definition of "Love" is not constant and often conflicting between two different people (or objects in this poem). He uses the CLOD and PEBBLE to show the degree of contrast (and to polarize) the aspect of love. On the one hand, we have a CLOD of dirt bereft of water and clinging on to only so few experiences; on the other hand, we have a PEBBLe of the brook who is constantly bombarded with Water (a symbol for experience). Thus Blake states that love is the one true source of happiness (essentially being smitten/ridiculously infatuated) thing only for the inexperienced (The CLODS) while those who have learned from experience (the PEBBLES) have seen that the definition of Love does not neccessarily mean for happy ends.
(If my interpretation in completely wrong, do say so and make me look as foolish as possible)