This term, some of our Year 8s have been studying William Blake’s Songs of Innocence and Experience, exploring ideas of freedom, equality and social justice that were so important to the author. Inspired by this, the students wrote their own poems in the style of Blake on some of the problems that still occur in society today, ranging from mental health to environmental degradation and the difficulties associated with poverty. Here is a selection of their work.
From Mateo Valdés Mínguez:
What is innocence without experience What is living without dying What is life but a story that comes to an end We are a piece of a puzzle too big to understand We live free to the innocent But chained to the experienced Experience is carried down like a river down a mountain But innocence is like the seed of a tree which will grow out of the river’s water Life is like a labyrinth in which religion is a dim hope that you will reach the end Through the labyrinth are enemies like pleasure and depression that will bring you down. Life is but a gamble of survival God is like a shepherd keeping the lamb from going free.
From Lucas Fernandez Huerta:
And the human walks Brainwashed with nothing to think of He walks with a blank mind and walks with a blank stare As these people that we chose have destined our life To nothing but misery They are villains under a mask A mask cold God They say what is write and say what is wrong They make us fear things we have never seen before So they can feel the comfort of control They make us feel protected And make us feel as they are our saviours So they can play with our trust like a mere toy But who can we trust actually who can we trust As even the Devil was once an Angel Their mask is unbreakable And only few have seen through it But they fear to tell anyone As those who do vanish in time Never to be seen again But the human walks As he has lost this war And is marching in solemn sadness Never to think again But to be controlled by these villains with masks of heroes
From Eylul Toksšz
Lost Injustice, left to right I fear though I stand back Clasp a hand strong and bright, Drop it due to pain and fright Lowness I have become, Who have I got to come A stray is what I am, a stranded soul on the sphere Trotting towards the light, flailing for there is no more sight What I shall do I cannot fathom, Myself I have surrendered
From Casilda Trapote:
The Weeping Willows The trees were all distracted, The trees were all shocked. Now not a new power granted, Now a new problem to solve. All the trees were weeping, All into willows would become The weeping willows were dancing, The cause was sorrow, or something more? Now all the trees brought sorrow, Now it seemed only to themselves But then all the people were crying, But then all the people were dying, But then all the problems were solved.
From Sofia Buck:
O Child O child, what a small thing, As fragile as glass, So meek and hurt, Like a lamb hiding in the grass. A sign of life amongst the death, But slowly rotting away, Hands as black and rough as coal, O child, here comes the day. You cry and rattle your rusty chains, For they drown out the noise of your pains, Don't worry child, there is not much left to fight, For you will soon see the bright, white light. O child, what a small thing, As fragile as glass, So meek and hurt, For you will soon pass.
From Nicolas González-Espejo:
The bright sky is vivid with birds singing around The war is endless, just pick the owner of the crown All the poverty seen in our street Some people don't have food to eat Now, the pollution from war turns our clouds brown God have mercy, we have a silent town We stay in our houses, in a little spot War is endless but life is not
From Beltran Esquer de Vicente:
The Permission Ticket Here I sit not moaning or crying like the others I am willing to make it But I need the word of our superiors Before I see the white light ray I know I have to attain the finishing line Then I will wrap up my work Tie it with a white lace As my ancestors did I hope he will accept it And make me a little space Then my bright new little lamb Will go out to know the world I hope he also gets to here To rejoice our endless dull paradise
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