S Oliff · 14 September 2002

The meaning of some of Blakes proverbs are not easily understood without a knowledge of his mythology or times. If people would add their comments on what they believe particular proverbs mean, it would help one enjoy the poem more. For instance, what is the interpretation of these lines: The gnat that sings his Summer’s song Poison gets from Slander’s tongue.

Ruth Brown · 15 March 2003

its a cool poem 1 of my favs

Adam Wagstaffe · 3 September 2003

can u tell me what this poem means, it’s historical context, its application to life and just general information on it?

thank you very much

Cate Wagstaffe

Courtney Wickland · 30 March 2004

I need to do a short analysis on this poem and frankly I’m puzzled by the basic themes. could you help me out?

Brenna Gilroy · 21 July 2004

Brenna Gilroy
www.mortgagesbytitan.com
office:cell:

SSY2K · 9 September 2004

The poem “Auguries of Innocence” is a poem full of paradoxes. It brings up situations that are unfathomable in our realm of human understanding. Our minds are capable of many things, but not all things are readily understandable. One such paradox is the idea of holding infinity in a finite space. Infinity is also an idea that is not tangible or able to be felt, thus it cannot be held in side of anything, especially our hands. Another paradox in this poem is very much alike the above mentioned. It too has to do with a humanly ungraspable concept. The ability to hold an immeasurable amount of time within an hour, which can be measured, is in the human mind impossible. This poem presents many interesting ideas. All of the situations may be possible but are almost impossible to be understood. This shows that the human mind is not the ultimate thinking machine. It also shows that not every thing is meant to be understood. However if we look at this from a different angle one can see that maybe it takes time for human knowledge to develop and obtain a higher understanding of life and nature.

Ted adair · 5 October 2004

I think what Blake meant was that nobody is innocent, not even God. And yet the world would be a better place with innocence in it, that is why we search so hard for it and so hard for meaning in this pathetic thing we call life.

Marilyn and/or Ben · 3 May 2005

Relative to Blake’s “Auguries…” I believe the first 4 lines are saying that our globe, the life on it, space and time are all of a piece - that they are all connected and influence, or at least relate to, each other. The rest of the poem gives examples of this.

John Graham · 20 January 2006

I dont think Blake looked at the world as negatively as stated earlier by Ted, what he seems to convey is that innocence is something that cannot exist without evil and corruption, without the comparison to evil acts, innocence becomes standard. He also looks at the minds of living creatures as the only place true innnocence can exist, whether human or not we share the same sense of injustice and in our minds we are sheltered from the physical effects of the universe.

Rose Kelleher · 13 August 2006

SSY2K writes that “Auguries of Innocence” is a poem full of paradoxes, and that the poem “shows that the human mind is not the ultimate thinking machine.” That may be true, but I think it misses the point. The poem is about Blake’s moral beliefs. He’s showing how a seemingly small thing can be deeply meaningful and have widespread ramifications. This was not a new idea; it’s central to Christianity. According to the Christian gospel, even a sparrow has value in the eyes of God (“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father’s will.”) and even those people who seem least important are important to God (“Whatsoever you do to the least of these, my brothers and sisters, you do unto me.”). So when Blake writes, “The beggar’s rags, fluttering in air / Does to rags the heavens tear,” he means that society’s neglect of the poor is a sin, an abomination, an affront to the heavens; and when he writes “The poor man’s farthing is worth more / Than all the gold on Afric’s shore,” he means that it’s the little guy, the meek, who will inherit the earth as opposed to the rich and powerful, who, according to the gospel, will have more difficulty entering heaven than a camel passing through the eye of a needle.

NEIL SEQUEIRA · 7 September 2006

To see a World in a Grain of Sand
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower,
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
And Eternity in an hour
(This Para explain is about acheiving something. Achievement is a Symbol of human nature )

A Robin Red breast in a Cage
Puts all Heaven in a Rage.
(This describes a person who is in some kind of slavery. God created man with freedom.”A Robin Red breast in a Cage” is a sign of slavery)

A dog starv’d at his Master’s Gate
Predicts the ruin of the State.
(Dog is symbol of loyalty . “A dog starv’d at his Master’s Gate” -refers to people of the nation starving .”Predicts the ruin of the State’ refers to situation of uprising,violence and war.) A Horse misus’d upon the Road
Calls to Heaven for Human blood.
(Horse is considered to be hardworking . )
This song is about human nature . Different kinf of people and how we should treat them.

V · 19 August 2007

Blake did magic mushrooms, Psilocybe cubensis and what not, and under influence of those, you can experince time as an eternity, time disappears or melts together and become you, your closest, the world, love, understanding and bliss. Ego-loss can occour. And of cause, many problems with one self and the world can become clear.

Viktor Martini