Earth's answer by william blake

Full A Cry for Freedom Earth’s Answer by William Blake is the response of earth to the call of the Bard in the introductory part of the Songs of Experience where she expressed her feelings about her destiny. The author used personification to make the drama of the earth as strong as that of a living creature wherein she is pictured raising her head from the darkness she is lying on. There is no light in her that could make her countenance good but only gloom and dread her. “ Her light fled” means that there was a time when the earth had her own light that showed her beauty however, at present, she is without light, making her look nothing but stony, meaning, without life. “ Her locks” might represent doors to the earth which tells no good news of what is within the earth but carries sadness which is a metaphor of the color grey. The reasons for the dark gloom described in the first stanza are all made clear in the following stanzas where the earth describes herself as being a prison where the waters are. This could be attributed to the fact that earth is known to be surrounded by, if not immersed in water and that is the reason why the author imagines the earth as a prisoner in watery shore. The sky which is a jealous watcher stays in place with its stars to watch every move of their prisoner, the earth. Even during the early centuries, there were beliefs that the moon has some effect on the seas that the poet might have been considering in writing this line. The moon and the stars guard the waters to always do their job of imprisoning the earth within their jurisdiction so that the earth will not be able to escape. The waters not only make the earth cold but also make her icy, without feelings because of being imprisoned, unable to appreciate anything that is good. Day in and day out, the earth weeps for herself because of the destiny set for her, within the bounds of the waters that give her no warmth. The ‘ father of the ancient men’ probably would be Adam and certainly not God, the creator of heaven and earth, because earth describes this father as cruel, jealous and with a selfish fear. It is remembered that when Adam and Eve sinned, the earth was cursed because of the sin of the ancient man; that as a punishment, man and his children need to till the earth in order to produce food for their consumption. In their toil the earth does its job, growing the trees and vegetables for human beings to consume however, earth questions her enjoyment in doing her role. She considers herself still young who is able to produce abundantly but, with the use of simile, she compares herself to virgins of youth who are not able to enjoy, nor endure the delights when one is in prison, watched all the time, having no freedom. The fourth stanza continues with the comparison in the form of questions where the speaker asks about how spring might feel when the flowers bloom and trees bear their green leaves once again. Spring sure rejoices with the plants and make them even more beautiful with the nourishment she is able to provide through its sunshine but when earth looks to herself, she has no such joy because she bears in the coldness of her prison. The plowman on the other hand does not do its job during the night when it is dark rather ploughs during the day when his work is seen. The same is true with the sower who works during the day, making sure he is planting the right seeds in the right fields. Yet, the earth looks at herself doing her responsibilities in utmost darkness, imprisoned. In the last paragraph, earth makes her appeal for her chains to be broken so that she would be able to enjoy herself in freedom. To produce food for man in all the love that she could give, is her desire and not to do the same thing in a burdensome manner. She considers her imprisonment as selfish and cruel especially that it is her eternal destiny. Therefore it is her cry that her chains be broken so that she would be able to do her tasks as free as the plowman, the sower and spring. Her being surrounded by waters makes her cold and icy, not only physically but psychologically and emotionally as well and this is what she wants to escape from. Of course since her imprisonment is within coldness and darkness, the earth’s release can only be had through the light that fled her. Earth’s Answer reflects the situation of a lot of people and this makes the poem interesting, bringing its essence in this world. There are a lot of people imprisoned in many ways, being limited to be productive and eventually turning out to be emotionally cold. Good people become bad because of unavoidable circumstances where they are not treated well as they should. Freedom is indeed a wealth that even a wealthy creature like the earth would cry for in order to enjoy all that is within her reach. The value of wealth and beauty can never be appreciated when the owner is imprisoned and is not able to enjoy the benefits of which. Like the earth when I would be in a similar situation, I would cry for the freedom that makes anyone the happiest.