The brief introduction to Blake in the textbook refers to Blake as "a voice crying in the wilderness", which is a phrase from the Bible that refers to John the Baptist preparing the way for Jesus in the Gospels. Blake uses the line as an introduction to his poem "All Religions Are One." I find it interesting how much Blake's religion feeds his work despite his distaste for organized religion. Blake believed that God spoke to him. He seems to be positioning the poet as a type of prophet.
In "Introduction" in Songs of Innocence, the piper is told to "Pipe a song about a Lamb", and then to "sit thee down and write in a book that all may read." I'm reading this as the Lamb referring to Jesus. It seems the knowledge of Jesus begins in art, then the poet writes it down so that all may know it too. In "Introduction" from Songs of Experience, it is the bard "Who Present, Past & Future sees/Whose ears have heard the Holy Word." If the poet is a prophet, then poetry brings the reader closer to God. Poetry then, is not mere art. This idea might explain why Blake's work is quite different from other poets. Blake has no fluff poems that are merely entertaining. Each poem has a message that it is trying to convey. and, as corny as it may sound, a higher purpose.
I think that Blake’s statement “All religions are one” has some relevance. The Nahuans(Aztecs) for example, believed that through song and poetry (singing a poem and having adjoining music) that one can reach god. There poetry would range from typical everyday things such as: how fast time goes by, life in general, the eventual inevitable process of death, meetings with the divine or god as well as possibilities of going on to the next world by projecting song and poetry to god. I think that some of Blake’s poetry can be compared to that of Aztec poetry. Even though he might not have had a strong affiliation for religion he had a strong love for god and tried to show it by writing poetry and speaking of god or of a divine state of being.
ReplyDeleteNahutal Poetry:
No acabaran mis flore, My flowers will not end,
no cesaran mis cantos, my singing will not end.
Yo cantor los elevo, I, the singer, elevate them,
se reparten, se esparcen, they are shared, they are scattered.
Aun cuando las flores. Even when the flowers
se marchitan y amarillecen, wither and become yellow,
seran llevadas alla, they will be taken there,
al interior de la casa, inside the home
del ave de plumas de oro, of the bird with golden feathers.
This also reflects a thought that's expanded upon in the romantics, which is the idea of the sublime. God is a sentimental experience, in the same way that art is. So it would in turn make sense that to communicate some semblance of God, art would be the best vehicle.
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