The little boy Found

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 published in “Songs of Innocence” in 1789. It is a comparison piece to “The Little Boy Lost” and together they explore themes of divine guidance, protection, and the innocent trust of children in higher powers. The title indicates a resolution to the situation presented in “The Little Boy Lost”. The poem picks up from this sense of loss and resolves it with divine intervention.

The little boy lost in the lonely fen,
Led by the wandering light,
Began to cry, but God, ever nigh,
Appeared like his father, in white.

He kissed the child, and by the hand led,
And to his mother brought,
Who in sorrow pale, through the lonely dale,
The little boy weeping sought.

First Stanza

The poem starts by reiterating the boy’s lost state. A “fen” is a marshy boggy area, symbolizing confusion and danger. The “wandering light” might represent misleading hopes or false guides. The boy’s natural reaction to his predicament is to cry, showing his vulnerability and need for help. The “God, ever nigh” emphasizes the omnipresence and readiness of divine aid. God appears “like his father in white,” a comforting, familiar, and pure figure that reassures the boy. This imagery suggests purity, innocence, and safety.

Second Stanza

God’s action is tender and loving. The kiss symbolizes affection and reassurance. Leading the boy by the hand suggests guidance and care, implying that the boy is not alone. God not only rescues the boy but also reunites him with his mother, addressing the deeper need for familial love and connection. The mother’s sorrow and paleness indicate her deep worry and emotional pain while searching for her lost child. Her journey through “lonely dale” mirrors the boy’s own journey through the “lonely fen” underscoring the theme of isolation and the search for reunion. The resolution of the mother finding her son weeping shows the fulfillment of her quest and the restoration of their bond.