by the chains ofuncreativity.The rhythm in the Songs of Experience is much moredefined. It is more solemn and rigid. Blake remains veryfaithful to the format. The rhyme scheme does not change inthe Introduction, and the meter length remains relativelythe same in each stanza, which creates order. Thisstructure allows the reader to be able to anticipate whatshall come next. Now the symbols have been modified. The Piper of the Introduction to Songs of Innocence has matured into the Bardof Introduction to Songs of Experience. When the child madehim write out his verses, he became, in essence the Bard. The child, then, was transferred to the symbol of the Earth(Gleckner, 1959, p. 238). This passage from Gleckner's worksums up the situation best:In terms of the Introduction and Earth's Answer,the Songs of Experience can now be viewed in theirproper perspective. The Bard who sees the presentas it is, knows of the past and how it works inthe present, will sing of experience and look withsure vision at the state beyond (Jerusalem andMilton). The listener is Earth, and we toolisten, not to joy, as in Songs of Innocence, butto find our way. (p. 238)While the Bard sees events past, present and future, hedoes not necessarily see them as "a single mental form"(Bloom, 1963, p. 130). What he means is that the Bard hasheard the Holy Word, but does not hear it now. The Bardalso perceives man as a "lapsed Soul", while Blake does not. Blake believed that all men had the innate capacity toreturn to their spiritual consciousness, but the Bard seesno hope. He rather implores for Earth herself to return toher higher form, her form before having fallen. The Bardtherefore still possesses some innocence in him.Therefore, in conclusion, the Piper and the Bard aretwo major symbols of innocence and of experience in theirrespective series of poems. But while they demonstratetheir states through their actions, we also find that theypossess qualities fro...
