« The Mysterious Case of Raisin Rodriguez | Main | More Publicity Photos... »
May 04, 2007
Why I Love William Blake: Poetry Friday
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.
-from “Auguries of Innocence” by William Blake
My mother had this on a plaque in my room when I was a preschooler – not a plaque made for a child’s room, of course, but rather the sort of thing they sell in gift shops. I don’t remember a time in which I didn’t know how to read, although I do remember that even at a young age, I spent a lot of time awake at night. One of my strongest memories of being very small is lying in bed staring at this excerpt, memorizing it, and loving the language even though I had no idea what it was about.
I also never really noted that the author’s name was “William Blake.” In my mind, I think I believed that it was written by The People Who Write Things that Go On the Wall – you know, the same ones who wrote my “adverbs” sign (“Adverbs tell how, when, where, and why, and usually end in ‘-ly’” How many times a day does *that* go through my head? A lot.).
Anyway, I love the way the poetry Blake wrote over 200 years ago sounds somewhat conversational, even to contemporary ears. What makes it even better is that he used verse and sharp imagery to talk about Big Ideas. Even if I don’t know what he means by that grain of sand, I know what it looks like. His meter is steady, and his rhymes don’t feel forced. Just try to write something like that. It’s freaking amazing, and Blake just kind of popped these things off like, “Oh, well, got to write another masterpiece today. Ho, hum. Maybe I’ll become an amazing illustrator while I’m at it.”
Those were the days.
[Big A little a has the roundup today. Thanks, Kelly!]
Posted by adrienne at May 4, 2007 09:11 AM
Comments
I always figured that babies are born knowing what?So,I'd carry you about pointing things out & naming them.Did that with your reading too.And I don't believe we know much about intelligence.I thought,might as well go with good stuff--she'll get it or not.She'll wonder--hopefully.You were awake a lot at night because you were often sick.I often sat up with you.You had nightmares when you were sick.To be fair--your adverb signs told the story of a prince&princess:)I still have a love of adverbs&adjectives.I guess that mental loop is why you get songs playing in folks' heads:)You also had a phonics section.Math was taken care of too,as well as earth science.We watched Cosmos together,and you fell in love with Carl Sagan.I'm not sure that you could understand all that either.But,what is the sense of just assuming kids only want to see what they know?Their little brains will never develop that fast again.So,I believed in stimulation of all types,including massage after your bath.When you were tiny,I found that programmed poetry course which used Robert Frost "Stopping By Woods..."to teach all of the nuts&bolts of poetry.I'm not sure everyone would do that either.It was the only source I could find.But,now you are old enough to interpret things as you wish.William Blake is very cool and considered a mystic by many.Thanks for these memories.We played a lot together.Love to you.Finish your book! :).Your subject matter is sooo timely&needed!Really.I kind of wish you'd used one of your McDonalds poems...ah well.You are a natural poet who likes fiction better!And,of course,you've been doing non fiction for years.Your life is rich and full.A mom can wish for nothing more for Mothers Day!I'll take this as a gift!
Posted by: momster at May 4, 2007 10:08 AM
What a marvelous mom! Every child should be so blessed. Have a wonderful weekend.
Posted by: Pat at May 4, 2007 11:12 AM
I've always thought of "The People Who Write Things that Go On the Wall" as the ones responsible for poems like:
Here I sit
Buns a-flexin'
Giving birth
To another Texan
And my personal favorite ever:
the series of tiny arrows that start on the stall door ahead of you, continue around to the wall on the right side, continue over the TP dispenser, then down toward the lower rear corner of the stall where tiny, careful letters inform you:
"you are now shitting at a 45 degree angle"
Posted by: chuck at May 4, 2007 02:22 PM
Poetic, indeed. :)
Posted by: adrienne at May 4, 2007 02:24 PM
I love giving Jack little baby massages. He gets fits of giggles. I use a little lotion on his legs and he loves it... then, of course, I have to put some into his hand so he can feel like a big boy and I help him rub it onto his arms.
Adrienne, I totally see where your mom is coming from, but in the other way. (?) Nowadays, everyone wants to force the kids to learn learn learn. Baby Einstein, Leap Pad.. blah blah blah. I want Jack to learn, but I want him to have fun too. With all these new programs and things, it completely makes parents obsolete. How dare they? So Jack and I read books together, we sing songs together, we talk about his day (try talking to a two-year-old, it'll make your day!) I tell him what different things are, and he makes noises of different animals for me. I want to interact with Jack, not leave everything up to a DVD or a baby computer game ... yes someone got Jack that.
Posted by: Cathy at May 5, 2007 09:15 AM
I know/knew what you mean,Cathy.I would say providing stimulating experiences of all types is good.Like lots of companions to play with.And visiting many places.And pulling Barbies apart.It was never all work and no play.Also,Adrienne was allowed time to amuse herself.I doubt you can force a preschooler to learn.I just think new experiences,languages and such help them learn what interests them about the world.We all teach our babies in one way or another.Its up to the parents what and how.For instance,the pix of the princess,prince and dragon in series around her bedroom showed a story one could understand visually,it told a tale which could be read and it pointed out adverbs.I could've opted for bright pictures,with nothing added.And Adrienne could have looked at the bright pictures she had.Just like any other baby.I just wanted her to have possibilities;).She was always given an amazing amount of freedom to learn as she wished.But freedom only comes with opportunities to learn.I did all those things you do with Jack.I would agree that parents should do these things.I was the one neighbors called on to take their child to their first day at school and such.And I'm very sensitive to complaints about moms--who are somehow expected to be perfect the way dads are never held accountable.A cultural thing.All any of us can do is our personal best,whatever that is.Adrienne was quite ill as a child.She often had fevers&such.But when she was well she was out&about the neighborhood.She had a riot!Her zany grandpa alone!!Good Lord!Everyone loved her.She was born that way.I'm just happy she survived it all.She has,I think,in her 20s,needed that grounding in love,which is most important--and her spirituality was also stressed.In the end the teaching&stuff was really all about making a nice cozy fire in her heart and soul she could use for the rest of her life.Lots of kids have very cold hearts and souls,indeed.And that is sad for us all.PS:Charles is a naughty boy!And Jeffrey has a very good eye for pix--I've looked at his site--as well as yours,Cathy(and many others-covering all as I can).
Posted by: momster at May 5, 2007 12:46 PM
Long ago, I thought I would get my Ph.D. in English and become a Blake scholar. Fortunately I thought better of it, became a law librarian, and retained my love of Blake.
Have you ever seen Jim Jarmusch's film "Dead Man"?
Posted by: JIm at May 5, 2007 12:58 PM