Read this poem by William Blake, 'London'. It was written in 1794.
London
I wander thro' each charter'd street,
Near where the charter'd Thames does flow. 
And mark in every face I meet
Marks of weakness, marks of woe.
In every cry of every Man,
In every Infants cry of fear,
In every voice: in every ban,
The mind-forg'd manacles I hear 
How the Chimney-sweepers cry
Every blackning Church appalls, 
And the hapless Soldiers sigh
Runs in blood down Palace walls 
But most thro' midnight streets I hear
How the youthful Harlots curse
Blasts the new-born Infants tear 
And blights with plagues the Marriage hearse

Now read this contemporary poem about London.
London City
In this city that towers above me
In these streets that never sleep
In this bustle that forgets me
I'm given the permission to dance.
On these roads housing red buses
In the shouts and hollas of the unknown
In the trains running tirelessly through my mind
I'm given the challenge of love.
This city has mysteries it's unfolding
Relationships are molding
Histories it's scolding
Secrets it's withholding
Questions it's decoding
And within it, I'm exploding.
In this city that towers above me,
I can dance, I am free.

 
Now let's have a go at comparing them.
You can read these two poems at any time by clicking on the red help button on the screen.
Let's get started!
 
             BACK TO WORKSHEETS
 BACK TO WORKSHEETS 
                
              

 
          
          
          


