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London

Blake walks through London and sees misery on every face: soldiers, chimney sweeps, young mothers.

London, from Songs of Innocence and of Experience
London, from Songs of Innocence and of Experience. William Blake, 1794. Public domain, Wikimedia Commons.

This poem in five words

BlakehearsLondon'schainedmisery

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The quotes

4 big quotes in this poem.

mind-forg'd manacles

Blake · London · power of humans · identity

Chains made in the mind. The people of London are locked up by their own thoughts and by the powerful.

In every cry of every Man, In every Infant's cry of fear

Blake · London · power of humans · loss

Everyone is crying. Even babies are afraid. Blake hears it on every street.

Every black'ning Church appalls

Blake · London · power of humans

The church is going black with soot and shame. It does nothing for the poor.

the hapless Soldier's sigh Runs in blood down Palace walls

Blake · London · conflict · power of humans

The soldier's sigh turns into blood on the palace. The rich send the poor to die.

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The words of the book come from the AQA Poems Past and Present anthology, Power and Conflict cluster (poems quoted briefly for study; older poems are public domain). Every quote was checked against it. Paintings and drawings are public domain, from Wikimedia Commons, credited under each one. Notes by Akash Wadhwani. Copy it. Print it. Share it. No sign-up.
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