* * *
To see a World in a Grain of Sand
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower,
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
And Eternity in an hour.
William Blake
Häufigste Stimmungen
Häufigste Themen
Gedichte
The Book of Thel. Part I
The daughters of Mne Seraphim led round their sunny flocks,
All but the youngest: she in paleness sought the secret air.
To fade away like morning beauty from her mortal day:
Down by the river of Adona her soft voice is heard;
And thus her gentle lamentation falls like morning dew.
O life of this our spring! why fades the lotus of the water?
Why fade these children of the spring? born but to smile & fall.
Ah! Thel is like a watry bow, and like a parting cloud,
Like a reflection in a glass: like shadows in the water
Like dreams of infants, like a smile upon an infants face.
Like the doves voice, like transient day, like music in the air:
Ah! gentle may I lay me down and gentle rest my head.
Biografie
William Blake (1757–1827) was an English poet, painter, and printmaker. He was born in London and apprenticed as an engraver, later developing a method of illuminated printing that combined text and image. His poetry often employs visionary and symbolic imagery, addressing themes of innocence, experience, social injustice, and spiritual exploration. Key collections include Songs of Innocence and of Experience, which contrasts the untainted perspective of childhood with the corruption of adult life. In works like The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, he challenged conventional morality and religious orthodoxy, presenting a complex cosmology. His lyrical style is marked by simple yet profound language, rhythmic intensity, and a personal mythological framework. As a visual artist, he created iconic illustrations for his own writings and for works by other authors, such as Dante's Divine Comedy. Although his work was largely overlooked during his lifetime, he is now recognized as a major figure of the Romantic age. His influence extended to later poets, visual artists, and countercultural movements, cementing his place as a visionary creator. He died in London in 1827, leaving a body of work that continues to be studied for its radical imagination and artistic innovation.
Learn Poems App
Wähle ein kurzes Gedicht von Blake und lerne es heute auswendig.
Schritt für Schritt lernen, dich aufnehmen und die Aufnahme teilen, Erinnerungen ans Wiederholen.