I'm an avid reader of Blake. He's written two books of poetry, as well as many theories. The poetry books are called "Songs of Innocence and of Experience". If anyone has read any of these, or any of his other works, tell me about it. And your fav of his work. Mine is his ungrouped poem "Long John Brown and Little Mary Bell". Other favorites are "The Little Blakc Boy", "The Human Abstract", "The Divine Image", and his "Marriage of Heaven and Hell". He's one of my favorite authors, and I aspire that someday my writing will match his.
You obviously have impeccable taste. Blake is one of the greatest of english poets, and I have been reading his works for many years. However - as well as Innocence and Experience, there are many other works. He was also an artist - trained as an engaver, and he produced some fascinating and some beautiful works of visionary art. Maybe you know that both Innocence and Experienced were first published in editions which were illustrated and printed by Blake himself with help only from his wife, Catherine. He even invented his own methods of engraving and printing. Check out this website http://www.betatesters.com/penn/blake.htm
I had no idea he was an artist as well! Fascinating... I love Blake. He has to be one of my favorite poets. His writing is beautiful and eye-opening.
This is one of his more famous images. Other folks already mentioned he was a painter. Most of his poetry was originally accompanied by beautiful visuals. Each book was hand-crafted and manually painted. Phew. There's something so striking and archaic about calligraphic script and visual art; as if poetry and prose were meant to be created with visuals. That perfect, harmonic balance between left and right brain? Aside from Innocence and Experience, there's my favorite book: The Marriage of Heaven and Hell. This little book contains a number of famous aphorisms tossed around in popular culture: Some beautiful lines:
I love Blake! An ex lover (whom im very good friends with) turned me on to him. Ive always loved poetry, including writing poetry myself. Its a beautiful way to vent out. I have the two poetry books with illustrations (Love the illustrations!!) The marriage between heaven and hell and Songs of innocence and experience. My fave poem of Blake's is The Tyger. Ill try to upload the pic! William Blake is also linked to the Pre Raphaelite's. Which im a HUGE fan of!
I die I die the Mother said My Children die for lack of Bread What more has the merciless Tyrant said The Monk sat down on the Stony Bed The blood red ran from the Grey Monks side His hands & feet were wounded wide His Body bent his arms & knees Like to the roots of ancient trees His eye was dry no tear could flow A hollow groan first spoke his woe He trembled & shudderd upon the Bed At length with a feeble cry he said When God commanded this hand to write In the studious hours of deep midnight He told me the writing I wrote should prove The Bane of all that on Earth I lovd My Brother starvd between two Walls His Childrens Cry my Soul appalls I mockd at the wrack & griding chain My bent body mocks their torturing pain Thy Father drew his sword in the North With his thousands strong he marched forth Thy Brother has armd himself in Steel To avenge the wrongs thy Children feel But vain the Sword & vain the Bow They never can work Wars overthrow The Hermits Prayer & the Widows tear Alone can free the World from fear For a Tear is an Intellectual Thing And a Sigh is the Sword of an Angel King And the bitter groan of the Martyrs woe Is an Arrow from the Almighties Bow The hand of Vengeance found the Bed To which the Purple Tyrant fled The iron hand crushd the Tyrants head And became a Tyrant in his stead