A Taste of Blake

William Blake: 1757 – 1827, is one of my favourite artists. Evocative and often dark, and rich in mysticism and philosophy, I find his work inspiring and thought provoking. His cottage is local to me and I have many fond memories of enjoying a glass of red wine in the Fox Inn, down the road from the cottage, discussing poetry and painting with a dear friend – sadly departed.

I present a small taste of Blake’s works that I really enjoy – including the famous ‘Great Red Dragon’ painting, which features prominently and terrifyingly in the Thomas Harris novel ‘Red Dragon’, the resulting movies, and also the TV series ‘Hannibal’, which I recently re watched as a dark antidote to lockdown blues.

And behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven and did cast them to the earth.
Revelations. 12:3–4 (King James Version)

*The Great Red Dragon and the Woman Clothed in Sun*

Mad Song

By William Blake

    The wild winds weep
    And the night is a-cold;
    Come hither, Sleep,
    And my griefs infold:
    But lo! the morning peeps
    Over the eastern steeps,
    And the rustling birds of dawn
    The earth do scorn.

    Lo! to the vault
    Of paved heaven,
    With sorrow fraught
    My notes are driven:
    They strike the ear of night,
    Make weep the eyes of day;
    They make mad the roaring winds,
    And with tempests play.

    Like a fiend in a cloud,
    With howling woe,
    After night I do crowd,
    And with night will go;
    I turn my back to the east,
    From whence comforts have increas'd;
    For light doth seize my brain
    With frantic pain.