A Cradle Song facts for kids
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"A Cradle Song" is a poem written by William Blake in 1789. It is part of his famous book called Songs of Innocence. This poem is like a lullaby, sung by a mother to her sleeping baby.
Contents
What is "A Cradle Song" About?
This poem is about a mother singing to her child. She wants her baby to sleep peacefully all night. As she watches her infant's face, she feels a deep connection. She imagines seeing Jesus in her baby's smile. The mother believes that when her baby smiles, it brings peace and harmony to the whole world.
How the Poem is Built
The poem "A Cradle Song" has 32 lines. It is divided into 8 parts, called stanzas. Each stanza has 4 lines. The lines in each stanza rhyme in a simple way. The first two lines rhyme, and the next two lines rhyme. This is called an "AABB" rhyme scheme. This rhyming pattern makes the poem sound gentle and easy to sing. It helps create a peaceful feeling, like a lullaby.
About William Blake
William Blake was a famous English poet and artist. He was born in London on November 28, 1757. He lived until August 12, 1827. Blake created his own special way of printing his books. He said his brother, Robert, taught him this method in a dream. This allowed him to combine his poems with his own beautiful drawings.
Blake's book Songs of Innocence is very well-known. It includes poems about children and their pure, innocent feelings. It also shows how the world can sometimes be difficult. Blake used lots of imagery in his poems. This means he used words to create strong pictures in the reader's mind.
"A Cradle Song" in Music
Many famous musicians have been inspired by William Blake's work. These include artists like Bob Dylan, John Lennon, The Beatles, Bono and U2, and Led Zeppelin. Some musicians have even used Blake's poems to create their own songs. For example, the composer Benjamin Britten set "A Cradle Song" to music. He included it in his collection called A Charm of Lullabies, along with four other poems.
