Infant Joy / Blake


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'Infant Joy' was published in 1789 in 'Songs of Innocence' and is the counterpart to "Infant Sorrow" which was published at a later date in 'Songs of Experience' in 1794.

Probably the most famous poems in these two books are 'The Tyger in 'Songs of Experience' and its counterpart 'The Lamb' in 'Songs of Innocence'. Both 'Infant Joy' and 'Infant Sorrow' use two stanzas, however, ‘Infant Sorrow’ uses a regular AABB rhyme scheme for both stanzas; whereas, ‘Infant Joy’ uses ABCDAC for the first stanza, and ABCDDC for the second. The most marked pattern in ‘Infant Joy’ is the double rhyme repeated in lines three, six, nine, and twelve, this pattern contrasts with the more insistent rhymes found in ‘Infant Sorrow, and gives the poem a more tentative quality. It could be argued that this tentative air suggests the idea that although the speaker wishes the child a joyful life, he or she knows that this is unlikely to happen. This would suggest that the adult’s naming of the child is a tentative wish, rather than manipulation.

Poem
'Infant Joy' by William Blake

"I have no name; I am but two days old." What shall I call thee? "I happy am, Joy is my name." Sweet joy befall thee! Pretty joy! Sweet joy, but two days old. Sweet Joy I call thee: Thou dost smile, I sing the while; Sweet joy befall thee!