|
Poet: William Blake
Poem: Ah! Sun-Flower
Volume: Songs of Experience
Year: Published/Written in 1789
Comment 1 of 1, added on July 18th, 2006 at 5:26 PM.
I once did a paper about sunflowers, and was amazed to learn that there is more to the flower than most know! Blake must have been an astute observer, for the sunflower does follow the sun (most plants do). Blake gently asked the reader to be like the sunflower and look in the direction of the blessed rest.
Blake also wrote this poem as part of two other poems: "My Pretty Rose Tree" and "The Lilly". As these poems are part of the Songs of Experience, there are deeper meanings to be gartered.
Note the last line of this poem--"where my sunflower wishes to go". Blake makes a sharp distinction by getting personal: MY. At this point the sunflower is more; it represents his spirit or his soul. He longs for the "sweet golden clime where the traveller's journey is done". He reinforces the idea of a resurrection from the grave and that those souls will go to a better place.
dallas
Are you looking for more information on this poem? Perhaps you are trying to analyze it? The poem, Ah! Sun-Flower, has received one comment so far. Click here to read it, and perhaps post a comment of your own. Of course you can also always discuss poems by William Blake with others on the Poetry Connection poetry forum!
|
I once did a paper about sunflowers, and was amazed to learn that there is more to the flower than most know! Blake must have been an astute observer, for the sunflower does follow the sun (most plants do). Blake gently asked the reader to be like the sunflower and look in the direction of the blessed rest.
Blake also wrote this poem as part of two other poems: "My Pretty Rose Tree" and "The Lilly". As these poems are part of the Songs of Experience, there are deeper meanings to be gartered.
Note the last line of this poem--"where my sunflower wishes to go". Blake makes a sharp distinction by getting personal: MY. At this point the sunflower is more; it represents his spirit or his soul. He longs for the "sweet golden clime where the traveller's journey is done". He reinforces the idea of a resurrection from the grave and that those souls will go to a better place.
dallas