William Blake was one of England's great poets. His diversity and insight in human nature is truly masterful, being able to write in the voice of a young child with all the innocence this brings and then in the voice of an adult. Blake did write of dreams and sunny days, angels, little ones leaping,...

Until the early nineteenth century, art and poetry emphasized form and structure. Works of art in this classical style aspired to an idealized perfection, whether in form or subject. Classical paintings often depicted gods or war heroes in idealized poses, while examples of classical poetry extoll...