William Blake (1757-1827) was born in London, the son of a prosperous merchant who recognising his artistic talents sent him to drawing school. At the age of 14 he was apprenticed to an engraver, and stayed until he was 21; before setting up on his own. In 1782 he got married; and in 1783 he published the Poetical Sketches (see one of our other Blake poem To Summer which was part of that collection). This was followed by Songs of Innocence (1789) and Songs of Experience (1794) of which perhaps his most famous poem The Tyger was a part). Despite these efforts, material success largely eluded Blake during his own lifetime, and despite being both an accomplished poet and artist; it was long after his death before his enduring talents became well known to the mainstream.