"Is this a holy thing to see In a rich and fruitful land, - Babes reduced to misery, Fed with cold and usurous hand?" Holy Thursday is a short poem by William Blake that was originally published in 1794 within Songs of Innocence and of Experience (1794). Blake previously wrote Songs of Innocence in 1789 as a contrary to the Songs of Experience, and later published them both together in juxtaposition. A different version of the poem also named "Holy Thursday" appears in both Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience. William Blake (1757-1827) was an English poet, painter, and printmaker. Largely unrecognized during his lifetime, Blake's work is today considered seminal and significant in the history of both poetry and the visual arts.