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Songs of Innocence and of Experience

William Blake

Start date: February 1, 2021

Finish date: February 28, 2021

Discussion: Short Story/Novella Collection

Why we're reading this: February 2021 - Short Story/Novella Read
[close] February 2021 - Short Story/Novella Read

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Short Story/Novella Collection

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What Members Thought

Mar 12, 2021 superawesomekt rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: poetry, western-canon

This was my first reading of this collection of William Blake's. There are two parts: "Songs of Innocence," which of course contains the well known "The Lamb," and "Songs of Experience," which contains "The Tyger."

The collection overall is, unsurprisingly, one of first Eden and then innocence lost. An interesting contrast and metaphysically profound.

I recognized a few other poems from various children's collections I have ("The Ecchoing Green" and "Night"), but I will admit that William Blake is ...more

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Feb 19, 2021 Heather L rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: group-read, 2021, poetry

I read several of the poems in this collection in high school or college, but had not read the entire book before now. As with any collection of poetry, there are always some you like more than others. “A Poison Tree” (Experience) is one I’ve read previously that always resonates, but I also thought “Holy Thursday” (Experience) was also relevant today.

This was a Classics group read, February 2021.

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Dec 27, 2010 Nate rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This is an excellent collection of poems and printings. My top 5 include:

The Echoing Green
The Human Abstract
A Poison Tree
The Sick Rose
The Chimney Sweeper

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