![]() Not only do the sheep belong to the shepherd – the shepherd belongs to the flock: They know when he who belongs to them is nearby. The notion of who belongs to whom is thrown on its head: the Shepherd is the one who is cast as follower, his sheep the leaders. There are so many complicated dynamics between the shepherd and his flock in Blake’s little poem. In these times of pandemic, as we are physically cut off from our audiences, the fleeting sweetness of pre-COVID musical life is brought into extra sharp relief. Thus, I relate deeply to the first line of Blake’s deceptively simple poem. The rising sun gives the impression of new beginnings that is consistent with innocence while the setting sun encourages the reader to view the poem as the end of a journey through innocence and onto experience.And his tongue shall be filled with praise.įor they know when their Shepherd is nigh.Īt the risk of sounding saccharine, I really do relish my life in music. Depending on the version, the sun appears to either be rising or setting. Typically a symbol of peace, the dove enables the reader to absorb the peaceful setting that is typical of a pastoral poem. This dove underneath the poem mimics the dove found on the introduction plate. In many of the Songs of Innocence, Blake uses vegetation to show the security of innocence that is secure and unthreatened. The Shepherd in the illustration is standing underneath a vine-wrapped tree surrounded by his herd of sheep. Reversed, Jesus - represented as a lamb - does not lead mankind - The Shepherd - astray. The Shepherd watches over his herd with delight as God watches over his people. Since the poem depicts The Shepherd as following his herd, the reader may view both the sheep and The Shepherd as protectors of each other. Jesus is also referred to in the bible as the Lamb of God. In this poem, the Shepherd can be viewed as the spiritual guide or a savior of the herd, rejoicing in their numbers. In the bible, a shepherd's presence is representative of guidance. Psalm 23 depicts God as a shepherd of mankind, and the capitalization of the word 'Shepherd' in the first and last lines furthers the idea that the Shepherd is a symbol of God. ![]() The image of The Shepherd as Christ is initially found in another Song, The Little Black Boy. There are also religious connotations in this poem. When he is present, the herd remains calm and peaceful. The Shepherd's relationship to his flock is further explored in the final lines of the poem. Blake allows the voice of the poem to speak for itself rather than revealing a firm interpretation. Readers from Blake's time would have found it odd that The Shepherd was following his herd. ![]() This can be seen in his listening for the call and reply of the ewe and lamb in the second stanza. In the second stanza, The Shepherd is presented as a caring and protective force over his herd. In the first stanza, The Shepherd is full of joy which mirrors the innocent nature of this collection of poems. The Little Boy Full of Joy that is depicted in Spring, grows into the shepherd of The Lamb, and then completes his journey through life as The Shepherd in this poem. This repetition may also be read as a subtle irony about the Shepherd's lack of agency as he follows his herd rather than leading them through the fields. This can be seen in the repetition of the word 'sweet' in the first line which the Piper uses in the other poems of his narration. This poem is written from the Piper's perspective. This poem is one of the three pastoral poems in Songs of Innocence, the other two being The Lamb and Spring. ![]()
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