Poem 10, "Blake Leads a Walk on the Milky Way" Summary

This is a poem in mostly anapestic form though there are several iambs sprinkled along the way, somewhat like the stars that are featured in the poem. William Blake is taking several of the characters on a night excursion, a walk on the Milky Way. Stanza one introduces the characters on the walk by showing what Blake gives to each, silver shoes to the rabbit, golden gloves to the cat, emerald boots to the tiger and also to the boy, who is writing in first person, and iron boots to the rat.

In stanza two Blake inquires to see if everyone is ready, noting that the night is quite cold, inferring that everyone should have warm things on. He mentions that they would all start...