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Comment 1 of 1, added on July 10th, 2006 at 8:51 AM.
This poem reflects a private battle between the person and his determination to ward off the "evil one", the devil. Why? The speaker is determined to live a godly life, and acknowledges that all of his real needs are wonderfully met ("I've a wife I love & that loves me"; mentions mental joy, mental health, mental wealth and mental friends--as in like-minded friends).
He gets up early and right away his values are being attacked. He realizes that the only thing physically lacking is outward wealth. After a series of assessments, he comes to the conclusion that the devil will have to follow in the ways of God because there is no desire to "value such things as these". There is no desire to persue more wealth, and the speaker further adds that if rejecting the lure of the devil leads to "eat[ing] coarser food & go[ing]worse shod", then so be it.
I love the image of stanza six with the comparison of the church steeple and intercession. Blake is cleaver to give a visual image to a spiritual state. A christian should be the "paramount" of virtue in praying for others.
This is a straight forward poem from Blake's Notebook. In some ways, the sentiments expressed in this poem remind me of "You Do Not Need Many Things" by Ryokan. To quote a few lines: "While the sun stays in the sky/I mend my torn clothes/And facing the moon, I read holy texts aloud to myself./Let me drop a word of advise for believers of my faith./To enjoy life's immensity, you do no need many things."
Blake, in stanza four, reasons that he is "in Gods presence" and that God has never "turned his face away"; that the "accuser of sins by my side does stand/and holds my money bag in his hand." By rejecting the temptation to go after his money bag, Blake succeeds in not giving place to the accuser. Blake has not given reason for the accuser to become intimate, have claim or merit in going after Blake. The accuser can only accuse--he can only stand on the sideline, ever hoping to cause Blake to fall. Powerful.
I wonder if Blake wants readers to wonder if "money is the root of evil".
dallas holsten from United States
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This poem reflects a private battle between the person and his determination to ward off the "evil one", the devil. Why? The speaker is determined to live a godly life, and acknowledges that all of his real needs are wonderfully met ("I've a wife I love & that loves me"; mentions mental joy, mental health, mental wealth and mental friends--as in like-minded friends).
He gets up early and right away his values are being attacked. He realizes that the only thing physically lacking is outward wealth. After a series of assessments, he comes to the conclusion that the devil will have to follow in the ways of God because there is no desire to "value such things as these". There is no desire to persue more wealth, and the speaker further adds that if rejecting the lure of the devil leads to "eat[ing] coarser food & go[ing]worse shod", then so be it.
I love the image of stanza six with the comparison of the church steeple and intercession. Blake is cleaver to give a visual image to a spiritual state. A christian should be the "paramount" of virtue in praying for others.
This is a straight forward poem from Blake's Notebook. In some ways, the sentiments expressed in this poem remind me of "You Do Not Need Many Things" by Ryokan. To quote a few lines: "While the sun stays in the sky/I mend my torn clothes/And facing the moon, I read holy texts aloud to myself./Let me drop a word of advise for believers of my faith./To enjoy life's immensity, you do no need many things."
Blake, in stanza four, reasons that he is "in Gods presence" and that God has never "turned his face away"; that the "accuser of sins by my side does stand/and holds my money bag in his hand." By rejecting the temptation to go after his money bag, Blake succeeds in not giving place to the accuser. Blake has not given reason for the accuser to become intimate, have claim or merit in going after Blake. The accuser can only accuse--he can only stand on the sideline, ever hoping to cause Blake to fall. Powerful.
I wonder if Blake wants readers to wonder if "money is the root of evil".
dallas holsten from United States