Infant Sorrow Poem by William Blake

Infant Sorrow

Rating: 3.0


My mother groaned, my father wept,
Into the dangerous world I leapt;
Helpless, naked, piping loud,
Like a fiend hid in a cloud.

Struggling in my father's hands,
Striving against my swaddling bands,
Bound and weary, I thought best
To sulk upon my mother's breast.

Infant Sorrow
COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Poppi Westbury 28 February 2008

This poem is so fun! The last line is perfect! Infant sorrow perfectly describes I think, how a little bub must feel upon arrival into the noisy bright world after being so snug in the womb for so long - at least until they realise you are there to love them and most importantly feed them ;) - then all sorrow must surely be gone!

11 10 Reply
Jiang Yunsheng 28 February 2008

Infant Sorrow? The sorrow of human existence?

8 7 Reply
Walterrean Salley 30 March 2013

Even babies experience so much that we, as adults, don't realize. I'm glad this child (with proper nurturing) made it. Very gifted, he had so much to offer, and has left the world a beautiful legacy. May many others experience such feat.

5 6 Reply
John Douglass 27 February 2017

The Thing most people don't get is that there are two ways to look at this poem. First is describing a child being born and the second is a criticism of the industrial revolution.

3 0 Reply
John Douglass 27 February 2017

The Thing most people don't get is that there are two ways to look at this poem. First is describing a child being born and the second is a criticism of the industrial revolution and child labor.

3 0 Reply
Indira Renganathan 23 February 2017

Oh little babe, how did you know you were leaping into a dangerous world while you were still striving to come out? May be this eminent poet could imagine and read your mind....so he wrote this poem.....excellent

3 0 Reply
Alisha Castle 10 February 2016

Lovely poem by William Blake...As always.

6 1 Reply
Gangadharan Nair Pulingat 13 January 2015

Very high imaginations about the thoughts of child.

4 5 Reply
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