Poetical Sketches

Poetical Sketches was William Blake's first published volume of poetry, appearing in 1783. While Blake's primary profession was engraving, he also wrote poetry from a young age. His friends, recognizing the originality of his work, had these poems printed, though Blake himself showed little interest in the volume and kept unsold copies until his death.1

The collection contains some early poems that are considered exquisite, such as "To Winter" and "Mad Song." Despite its initial lack of attention, critics have acknowledged the poetic originality within Poetical Sketches. Blake later developed a unique method of "illuminated printing," combining text and hand-colored illustrations, which he used for works like Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience.12