William Blake was a poet born in London, England in 1757. He had his first vision of angels at age 10 and studied engraving and Gothic art. Blake saw visions throughout his life from a young age and believed he was under the direction of heavenly messengers daily and nightly, which informed his philosophical views.

1. WILLIAM BLAKE: POET
BORN IN 1757 IN
LONDON, ENGLAND
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Had his first vision of
angels at age 10, thus
started his study of
engraving and Gothic
art.
Heather Zinck, English 1302
#1

2. •
“I am under the direction of messengers
from Heaven daily and nightly.”
•
This is Blake’s philosophy throughout his
life
•
William Blake saw visions all of his life
from the age of four.
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Heather Zinck, English 1302
#2

3. A Poison Tree By William Blake
I was angry at my friend:
I told my wrath, my wrath did end.
I was angry at my foe.
I told it not, my wrath did grow.
And I watered it in fears, night and
morning with my tears.
And I sunned it with smiles,
And with soft deceitful wiles
And it grew both day and night,
Til it bore an apple bright
And my foe beheld it shine
And he knew that it was mine.
And into my garden stole
When the night had veiled the pole;
In the morning glad I see
My foe outstretched beneath the tree.
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Heather Zinck, English 1302
#3

4. Summary of A Poison Tree
Poet is in a tiff with his
friend
No worries, he tells his
friend his feelings
The poets anger turns
into a metaphorical
apple
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The anger goes away
One night the poet
sneaks into his friends
garden and finds him
lying dead under the
poison apple tree
Heather Zinck, English 1302
#4

5. I Heard an Angel by
William Blake
I heard an angel singing
When the day was springing
Mercy Pity Peace
Is the worlds release
Thus he sung all day
Over the new mown hay
Til the sun went down
And haycocks looked brown
I heard a devil curse
Over the heath and the furze
Mercy could be no more
If there was nobody poor
And pity no more could be
If all were as happy as we
At his curse the sun went down
And the heavens gave a frown
Down poured the heavy rain
Over the new reaped grain
And miseries increase is
Mercy Pity Peace.
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Heather Zinck, English 1302
#5

6. Blake depicts the
angel as God trying
to tell us how to
make the world a
better place
This poem enforces
Blake’s high regard
for the Bible.
This poems depicts
good and evil and
the presence of
both in the world.
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The original sin is
mentioned in this
poem, better know
as Eve’s mistake.
Heather Zinck, English 1302
The ending is
hopeful, it makes
sure the reader
remembers God’s
Mercy, Pity, and
Peace
#6

7. • “The road to excess leads to the palace of
wisdom.”
• “To create a little flower is the labor of ages.”
• “A fool sees not the same tree that a wise
man sees.”
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Heather Zinck, English 1302
#7

8. • William Blake lived his life
with out the recognition he
deserved.
• Upon his death in 1827, and
even today, Blake is widely
recognized and an artist, poet,
and thinker.
• Blake assuredly now has the
answers he so diligently sought
while on earth as he dwells in
heaven with God the Father!
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Heather Zinck, English 1302
#8