The Chimney Sweeper

Composed in 2020 & revised in 2021, The Chimney Sweeper is a song cycle written as a duo composition for Baritone Solo & Piano, Set by William Blake, the poems are in two parts, namely My Mother Died When I Was Young & A Little Black Thing Among The Snow.

Both poems are part of Songs of Innocence and of Experience Shewing the Two Contrary States of the Human Soul, which was published in 1789 . The collection itself defines the thoughts of John Milton on the idea of the existence of existential-mythic states of "Paradise" and "Fall". Innocence represents an unfallen world whereas Experience represents a fallen world.

In the first poem, My Mother Died When I Was Young, the poet uses this poem to criticize the church of that time on the idea that through work and hardship, reward in the next life would be attained; this results in an acceptance of exploitation observed in the closing lines 'if all do their duty they need not fear harm. Blake also through this poem highlights the dangers of an innocent, naive view, demonstrating how this allows the societal abuse of child labor.

In the 2nd poem, A Little Black Thing Among The Snow, it further explores this flawed perception of child labor in a corrupt society. The poem shows how the Church's teachings of suffering and hardship in this life in order to attain heaven are damaging, and 'make up a heaven' of the child's suffering, justifying it as holy. The original questioner of the child ('Where are thy father and mother'?) offers no help or solution to the child, emonstrating the impact these corrupt teachings have had on society as a whole.