Earth's Answer

I have not before encountered this poem of Blakes and when I read it, I just loved it. The first two stanzas are particuarly beautiful and moving.

Earth's Answer

Earth raised up her head
From the darkness dread and drear,
Her light fled,
Stony, dread,
And her locks covered with grey despair.

"Prisoned on watery shore,
Starry jealousy does keep my den
Cold and hoar;
Weeping o're,
I hear the father of the ancient men.

"Selfish father of men!
Cruel, jealous, selfish fear!
Can delight,
Chained in night,
The virgins of youth and morning bear?

"Does spring hide its joy,
When buds and blossoms grow?
Does the sower
Sow by night,
Or the plowman in darkness plough?

"Break this heavy chain,
That does freeze my bones around!
Selfish, vain,
Eternal bane,
That free love with bondage bound."

why did you love this?

I love poems that personify Mother Nature, and speak of man's cruetly and abuse of the Earth, and that there are always those who can still hear speak and feel her pain, and see what is being done to her. There is a thread of Pagan spirituality laced within this poem, and the message and words behind it. I find it quite moving.

It also has such wonderful langauge, and imagery.

well, yes the poem does beautifully describe the sorrow of the chained earth. I have to say it is one of the few Blake poems which actually is quite Romantic with the theme of nature worship.

However there is a part of me which wonders WHY the earth does nothing for herself, I mean surely if freedom is what she wants then she should go and get it. Yet she is bound by her own inability to act ... the only action we see her do is raise "up her head" which is quite pathetic if truth be told.

I was wondering about what this poem is actually saying, I could deduce some religious references but any help for the structure would help!