INFANT JOY/ INFANT SORROW Compare and Contrast

     Infant Joy is primarily about a child after birth. The first stanza introduces the concept of purity and innocence within a newly born child. "I have no name; I am but two days old." These two lines somewhat symbolize how a new born baby comes in to the world, but has yet discovered the things of the world that make a person experience true emotion. For example, sadness, anger, confusion, etc. The second stanza basically elaborates on the first, but begins to address the innocent feeling of joy that one can not help but experience when that is all that one knows. Infant Sorrow is more so about the emotions exerted from mother, the father, and the child during the actual birth of the infant. The first stanza of this poem, unlike Infant Joy, introduces the unfiltered, uncensored, part of life where everything 'is' exactly 'what it is'. The remainder of this poem expresses the negative aspect of life. Though, the two poems together can help one remember that one can not have sorrow without joy.