Innocence & Experience

In William Blake's poems he defines innocence and experience in different ways. In his poem Nurse's Song he portrays innocence through children, he says, "When the voices of children are heard on the green and whispering are in the dale, the days of my youth rise fresh in my mind." He portrays their innocence by showing that children don't have a care in the world they just play outside without a worry. They have yet to experience worry so therefore they know nothing about it. Blake also defines innocence and experience in his poem The Fly. In his poem he says, "for I dance and drink & sing,Till some blind hand shall brush my wing," the fly is innocent it just goes about life without thinking, it does not have much awareness. He also portrays this idea by saying, " Then am I a happy fly, if I live, or if i die." the fly's innocence gives it the ability to have little awareness about whether it lives or dies. William Blake's poem The Chimney Sweeper also portrays both innocence and experience through a child. He say's, " You know that the soot cannot spoil your white hair.'' The child is both young (innocence) and has to work (experience). The child should be enjoying his youth but instead is obligated to work.