Earth’s Answer

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 in Romantic literature and art. His work, though underappreciated in his lifetime, is now celebrated for its originality and depth. The poem is a part of William Blake’s collection of poems “Songs of Experience,” published in 1794, and a response to the poem “Introduction” from the same collection. Earth speaks back to the Bard, expressing its sorrow and desire for liberation from the constraints imposed by humanity and a patriarchal God. The earth is personified as a female figure who has been imprisoned by the “selfish father of men”. The poem is rather ambiguous and has inspired varied interpretations.

Text of the Poem.

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.’

First Stanza

In this stanza, Earth is personified as a female figure who lifts her head from a place of darkness and fear. The imagery suggests that Earth has been in a state of desolation and despair for a long time. Her light, symbolizing hope and vitality, has fled, leaving her in a state of “stony dread.” The description of her locks being covered with “grey despair” indicates aging, sorrow, and a loss of beauty and life.

Second Stanza

Earth feels imprisoned on the “watery shore,” perhaps alluding to the constraints imposed on her by natural and divine forces. The “starry jealousy” could represent the celestial bodies (or heavenly forces) that keep her confined in the den. The terms “cold and hoar” further emphasize the cold, lifeless state she is in. She weeps as she hears the voices of “the father of the ancient men,” likely referring to God, who in Blake’s mythology is often depicted as a restrictive, patriarchal figure.

Third Stanza

Earth addresses God directly, accusing Him of being a “selfish father of men.” She condemns Him for being cruel, jealous, and motivated by selfish fear. The rhetorical question asks if such a tyrannical and fearful being can allow the pure, youthful spirits (the virgins of youth and morning”) to flourish while being “chained in night,” a metaphor for being oppressed and kept in darkness.

Fourth Stanza

Earth questions the natural order under the oppressive rule. She argues that spring does not hide its joy when buds and blossoms grow, indicating that joy and growth are natural and should not be suppressed. The farmer does not sow seeds by night, nor does the plowman plow in darkness. These rhetorical questions highlight the unnaturalness of the repression imposed on Earth.

Fifth Stanza

In the final stanza, Earth calls for the breaking of the “heavy chain” that binds her and causes her suffering. This chain is metaphorical for the oppressive, selfish, and vain forces (possibly divine or human-imposed) that have cursed her (“eternal bane”). She yearns for the liberation of “free Love,” which has been unjustly bound by these forces. The stanza is a plea for liberation from the constraints of fear and oppression, allowing love and life to flourish freely. The poem is a powerful expression of resistance against oppression and a plea for liberation. Blake uses personification and vivid imagery to convey Earth’s suffering under restrictive forces, whether they are divine or human. The poem is a critique of the patriarchal and authoritarian structures that stifle natural joy, growth, and freedom. Through Earth’s voice, Blake advocates for the breaking of these chains and the restoration of a natural, harmonious order where love and life can thrive unimpeded.