1. The Nurse’s Song
Songs of Experience
William Blake

2. Reading of the ‘Nurse’s Song’

3. When the voices of children are heard on the green (long -
positive)
And whisp'rings are in the dale, (short - negative)
The days of my youth rise fresh in my mind, (long - positive)
My face turns green and pale. (short - negative)
Then come home, my children, the sun is gone down, (long -
negative)
And the dews of night arise; (short- positive)
Your spring & your day are wasted in play (long - negative)
And your winter and night in disguise. (short - negative )

4. Society corrupts children’s
inherent innocence and
imagination while also failing
to care for their physical and
emotional needs.

5. Life is an aimless wearying away and an
accumulation of painful mistakes. The memory of
the nurse’s own youthful indiscretions haunts her,
making her ill with shame and mistrustful of the
children.

6. All seasons for the nurse, lead to a dismal close,
the sun goes down to rise no more and ‘winter
and night’ come like age to finish a day or year, or
a life that was endured but that never had any
real joy or significance