I never thought of Blake as a poet of the Revolutionary period for America, being very English-born. But I find he in fact wrote poems about the new world and America. They are not pretty.

The Erdmans have preserved the "idiosyncratic" spelling and punctuation in this collection of poems.

The young Blake was provided an arts education, as well as the craft of engraving. He read the King James and Milton, and thought of the reign of George III (1760-1820) as hale and happy Albion, in spite of the stormy relations of the parliament and crown. The British economy was staggered by the expense of the Seven Years' War and unrest in the American colonies which divided public opinion.

The poet was devoted to nature, his beautiful wife who liked being naked, and to visions of bursting color and light.

In a triptych of verses, a take on nonverbal grace: [20]

I asked a thief to steal me a peach
He turned up his eyes
I asked a lithe lady to lie her down
Holy and meek she cries --

As soon as I went
An angel came.
He winked at the thief
And smiled at the dame--

And without one word said
Had a peach from the tree
and still as a maid
Enjoy'd the lady.

{Note the use of "--" as punctuation, adopted by Emily Dickinson to similar effect. And the same baudy tone with puns on her last name! And her use of "ruddy" cf Blakes Abstinence.}

Here the angel demonstrates nonverbal communication, and "enjoyment" of a woman who is "still" a maiden--pleasure of her company, which is both physical and mental.

Blake sans art? Yes, it can be done, and it enables you to interpret the poems differently. ( )