"America a Prophecy" by William Blake
- Pierre Turcotte Éditeur
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
Pierre Turcotte Editor is proud to announce the publication of the poem America a Prophecy by the English poet William Blake.
In 1793, at the heart of the revolutions shaking the Atlantic world, William Blake etched this prophetic poem of unparalleled visionary power onto eighteen illuminated plates. Divided into a brief Preludium and a longer Prophecy, the text takes the American Revolution as its material, yet transcends it to forge a universal metaphor for spiritual awakening. Orc — deity of rebellion — breaks his chains to confront the Angel of Albion, embodiment of imperial tyranny. Washington and Franklin stand alongside mythological beings in an allegory of creativity's triumph over oppressive reason. Yet Blake also understands that every revolution may turn against itself: Urizen, god of frozen order, temporarily smothers the revolt — prefiguring the empires that, having won their own freedom, go on to export their dominion under the guise of civilisation. This illuminated book, the first of the Continental Prophecies, resonates today with unsettling clarity: the Albion–America relationship speaks to every hegemonic power that claims to liberate what it controls. The United States of today — as invader of Latin America and the Middle East — has assumed the very role of the poem's Albion, in a spectacular reversal. It is perhaps here that the prophecy, in an unexpected inversion, reaches its greatest force.
William Blake (1757–1827) was an English poet, painter, and printmaker whose visionary imagination made him one of the most original figures of the Romantic period. Born in London, he showed artistic talent from an early age and trained as an engraver, a skill that shaped his unique illustrated books. Blake believed that imagination and spiritual insight were more important than reason alone. His best-known works include Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience, which explore childhood, society, and human nature. He also wrote prophetic books filled with symbolism, including America a Prophecy, a work inspired by the American Revolution and its themes of freedom, rebellion, and renewal. During his lifetime, Blake was often misunderstood and received little recognition. However, his powerful poetry, striking visual art, and bold ideas later earned him lasting admiration. Today, he is celebrated as a visionary artist whose influence extends across literature, art, religion, and culture worldwide.
You can buy the digital book in EPUB format in our store for €1,99.
BLAKE, William. America a Profecy. Montreal: Pierre Turcotte Editor, 2026, 24 p.
Comments