7 Most Popular Poems by William Blake

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  • London

    Famous Poem

    in Famous Sad Poems

    In the streets of London, William Blake paints a portrait of a city burdened with suffering and oppression. From the marked faces of weakness and woe to the cries of anguish and the shackles of the mind, he captures the harsh realities of a society where even the most vulnerable, like chimney sweepers and soldiers, bear the weight of their circumstances. Amidst the curses of harlots and the tears of infants, Blake reveals the dark underbelly that plagues the institution of marriage. Through his poignant words, he offers a glimpse into the complex tapestry of London's existence.

    I wander thro' each charter'd street,
    Near where the charter'd Thames does flow.
    And mark in every face I meet
    Marks of weakness, marks of woe.

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  • A Cradle Song

    Famous Poem

    in Famous Family Poems

    A poem from his book, Songs of Innocence, and of experience by William Blake, a lullaby of unparalleled beauty.

    Sweet dreams form a shade
    O'er my lovely infant's head;
    Sweet dreams of pleasant streams
    By happy, silent, moony beams.

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    Family where life begins and love never ends.

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  • Nurse's Song

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    in Famous Family Poems

    Published in Songs of Innocence in 1789, the poem tells of a Nurse who is watching her children playing out in the fields. She calls them to come in, but they protest, for to them it is still light and there is still time to play.
    The poem fits in with the theme of innocence, as the children are oblivious to the dangers of playing outside late at night. The Nurse is of a jovial and warmhearted nature, and she allows the children to continue with their games.

    When the voices of children are heard on the green,
    And laughing is heard on the hill,
    My heart is at rest within my breast,
    And everything else is still.

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    It's so great. I read this poem when I was in 7th grade. I love it so much.

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  • The Sick Rose

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    in Famous Sad Love Poems

    William Blake was an English poet who lived from 1757-1827. Blake spoke of having visions as a young child, and since he was different than others, his parents did not send him to school. He learned to read and write at home, and he began writing poetry at the age of twelve. The rose in this poem is a symbol of love and how love can become sick without realizing it. There are various "worms" that can come to destroy the love between two people.

    O Rose, thou art sick!
    The invisible worm
    That flies in the night,
    In the howling storm,

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    • Rating 4.20
  • On Another's Sorrow

    Famous Poem

    in Famous Sad Poems

    This poem was published in Songs of Innocence in 1789. The innocence suggested within the poem is that sympathy alone can comfort and heal.

    Can I see another's woe,
    And not be in sorrow too?
    Can I see another's grief,
    And not seek for kind relief?

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    A soulful poem. Sometimes or many times for some people it's the "going through" the sorrows that make life worth living. A hard way to learn a life lesson, but it often turns out better than...

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  • A Poison Tree

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    in Famous Friendship Poems

    Analysis of Form and Technique

    This poem by William Blake (1757-1827 London) depicts the value of not holding bad feelings inside. In the poem, he suggests that sharing your bad feelings with the one you are angry about will cause the ill will to disappear. On the other hand, holding a grudge inside will only make it grow more powerful. The poem ends with a murder in a garden.

    I was angry with my friend:
    I told my wrath, my wrath did end.
    I was angry with my foe:
    I told it not, my wrath did grow.

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    • Poem of the Day
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    A Poison Tree is a short and deceptively simple poem about repressing anger and the consequences of doing so. The speaker tells of how they fail to communicate their wrath to their foe and...

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  • The Tyger

    Famous Poem

    in Famous Nature Poems

    William Blake became an apprentice to an engraver at a young age, which was an inspiration for many of his poems. The Tyger in this poem is a symbol of creation and the presence of both good and evil in this world. The Tyger is written in Quatrains (4 line stanzas) and follows an AABB rhyme scheme.

    Tyger! Tyger! burning bright
    In the forests of the night,
    What immortal hand or eye
    Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

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    • Poem of the Day

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