Nurse's song- Experience

What is interesting about the setting?

• it is the same as in the Innocence poem

‘whisperings are on the dale’

• John Wesley: this poem captures the ‘silencing of children’

• innocence is trapped in the green, the ‘dale’ has transformed from the ‘hills’ in innocence suggesting descension- innocence lost.

‘My face turns green and pale’

• pastoral images are stuck, thinking about the golden age/ Edenic

• feels stuck when she is thinking about youth- jealousy? she can’t return

• Green= Garden of Eden exposure to knowledge.

‘Then come home my children, the sun is gone down/ Dews of night arrive’

• complete darkness- innocence eradicated

• Innocence- they were allowed to stay out and play, thus experience is more dangerous here.

• ascension of night- overbearing

‘Your spring and day are wasted in play’

• direct address- darkness is coming and they need to prepare.

Structure and Comparison to innocence.

• poem is short- lack of presence of the children, lack of natural world and boundaries.

• could be an internal view from innocence poem- different POV’s from the 2 contrary states.

• ABCB rhyme scheme- uncertainty, liminality.

• Spring= day and Winter= night presentation of innocence is fake and bitter.