Heaven Gives Us Gifts

William Blake was a forthright religionist, a strong Christian with mystical leanings, and this book reflects that point of view. In a way he might be compared with Saint Francis of Assisi, also a Christian but very mystical as well, particularly connected to the natural world including the creatures all around him. Throughout this book, the poems maintain the reader's strong connection with the natural world but also keep reaching for the stars, quite literally in some cases, as when some animals go for a nighttime journey with Blake and he does actually give them some stars. The Man with the Marmalade Hat works very hard to clean the inn, so he doesn't put on airs in the least. He also is the one that enjoins the creatures to stop their fighting and start having some fun with music and dancing, and in the larger...