Of the Devil's party...

I just had to do a mini post on William Blake- one of my favourite artists and poets. I have been doing my art history dissertation on Blake's large colour print Nebuchadnezzar so he is stuck in my mind at the moment!!
This is Blake's most famous poem 'The Tyger' (the most anthologised poem in the English language!)

Tyger! Tyger! burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?
In what distant deeps or skies
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
On what wings dare he aspire?
What the hand dare sieze the fire?
And what shoulder, & what art.
Could twist the sinews of thy heart?
And when thy heart began to beat,
What dread hand? & what dread feet?
What the hammer? what the chain?
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? what dread grasp
Dare its deadly terrors clasp?
When the stars threw down their spears,
And watered heaven with their tears,
Did he smile his work to see?
Did he who made the Lamb make thee?
Tyger! Tyger! burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?


This is The Tyger as it was first imagined- part of the illuminated book 'Songs Of Experience'

And here are a few of Blake's amazing watercolour images, and other colour prints.

If you want to read more Blake you should definitely check out the Everyman's Library edition 'William Blake: Poems and Prophecies' and go check out his artwork in the Tate Britain.