The Clod and the Pebble

By William Blake

William Blake (1757-1827) was an English poet, painter, and visionary, whose work combines profound spiritual themes with intense, often mystical imagery. Blake’s unique style blends poetry and visual art, making him a pioneer figure in Romantic literature and art. His work, though underappreciated in his lifetime, is now celebrated for its originality and depth. The poem was first published in William Blake’s collection of poems “Songs of Experience” in 1794. The poem contrasts two opposing views on love, represented by a soft clod of clay and a hard pebble. The clod represents the more optimistic and perhaps naive perspective, which views love as a kind of radical selflessness and the willingness to sacrifice. On the other hand, the pebble declares love as pure selfishness. However, the poet does not validate any of the two viewpoints and leaves it to the reader to decide for themselves.

‘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 sung a little clod of clay,
Trodden with the cattle’s feet;
But a pebble of the brook
Warbled out these meters 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.’

First Stanza

In the first stanza, Blake introduces the perspective of the clod of clay. The clod speaks of selfless love, which does not seek to satisfy itself or care for its own comfort. Instead, it sacrifices its own ease for the sake of another. This kind of love transforms even the most despairing situations into a place of joy and bliss. The clod represents a soft, yielding, and humble view of love, characterized by selflessness and sacrifice.

Second Stanza

The second stanza sets the scene and introduces the two contrasting voices. The clod of clay, found in a humble and lowly place, trodden by cattle, expresses the selfless nature of love. However, the stanza then shifts to the pebble, which is found in a brook. The pebble’s song offers a contrasting view of love. The word “warbled” suggests a musical but perhaps less sincere tone, hinting at a more self-centered perspective on love.

Third Stanza

In the final stanza, the pebble provides its perspective on love, which starkly contrasts with that of the clod. According to the pebble, love is selfish, seeking only to please itself and to bind another person to its own desires. This form of love takes pleasure in the discomfort or sacrifice of the other, transforming a heavenly state (Heaven) into one of torment and suffering (Hell). The pebble represents a hard, unyielding, and egocentric view of love, characterized by self-interest and manipulation.

Conclusion

The poem uses the clod and the pebble to symbolize two extreme perspectives on love. The clod’s view reflects an idealized, selfless love that seeks to elevate and comfort others, even at its own expense. In contrast, the pebble’s view represents a more cynical, selfish love that seeks to dominate and control others for its own pleasure, regardless of the consequences for the loved one.

By juxtaposing these two perspectives, Blake invites the readers to reflect on the nature of love and to consider the implications of each viewpoint. The poem’s structure, with its symmetrical stanzas and alternating voices, emphasizes the stark contrast between the two kinds of love, highlighting the moral and emotional choices involved in relationships.