Infant Joy - William Blake
/Infant Joy - William Blake/
A Celebration of Innocence and Naming
Original (Line 1): “I have no name;
English (Line 1): ‘I have no name;
Original (Line 2): I am but two days old.”
English (Line 2): I am only two days old.’
Original (Line 3): What shall I call thee?
English (Line 3): What shall I call you?
Original (Line 4): “I happy am,
English (Line 4): ‘I am happy,
Original (Line 5): Joy is my name.”
English (Line 5): Joy is my name.’
Original (Line 6): Sweet joy befall thee!
English (Line 6): May sweet joy come to you!
Original (Line 7): Pretty joy!
English (Line 7): Such a lovely joy!
Original (Line 8): Sweet joy but two days old,
English (Line 8): Sweet joy, just two days old,
Original (Line 9): Sweet joy I call thee;
English (Line 9): I call you sweet joy;
Original (Line 10): Thou dost smile,
English (Line 10): You are smiling,
Original (Line 11): I sing the while;
English (Line 11): And I sing meanwhile;
Original (Line 12): Sweet joy befall thee!
English (Line 12): May sweet joy come to you!
From William Blake’s Infant Joy (1789), part of Songs of Innocence. This poem is in the public domain.
William Blake’s “Infant Joy,” included in his 1789 collection *Songs of Innocence*, captures the purity and optimism surrounding a newborn child. The poem unfolds as a brief dialogue: the infant, only two days old, has “no name,” prompting the speaker to ask how they shall address this bright new life. The child’s self-declaration—“Joy is my name”—reveals an intrinsic happiness untainted by the complexities of the world.
In both structure and tone, the poem emphasizes simplicity. Its language is direct, employing short lines and gentle repetition. This style highlights the innocence of infancy and the protective tenderness adults feel toward the child. By referring to the baby as “sweet joy,” Blake underscores that merely existing, without any defined identity or social construct, is a state of inherent blessing. The repeated refrain—“Sweet joy befall thee!”—carries both a blessing and a wish, reflecting an overarching theme of hope and care.
Through “Infant Joy,” Blake suggests that birth represents an uncorrupted beginning. The poem resonates with wonder, reminding readers of the preciousness and potential bound up in new life. In an age often shadowed by poverty and social injustice, Blake uses this gentle scene to assert that children, at their earliest moments, embody profound goodness—an image of spiritual promise that contrasts with the harsher realities portrayed elsewhere in his work.
Key points
1. The child’s declaration—“Joy is my name”—embodies pure innocence.
2. A call-and-response structure underscores loving curiosity and blessing.
3. Short lines and simple diction emphasize the poem’s gentle, hopeful tone.
4. Blake champions the idea that infants arrive with an innate capacity for happiness.