William's move towards the illustration of his own work began with the covers of Cracknrigg:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With Hinny Beata, attention to the covers was accompanied by a move to illustrate individual poems, as with the case of the Wiramutha (Wearmouth) Helix

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The move to Bloodaxe and the possibilities of the use of colour led to a sumptuous cover, combining an image of the Black Madonna of with traditional borders.

 

 

 

 

Internal illustration also increased:

 

 

The Madonna in an egg shape surrounded by a children's 'dib' (choosing game, as in 'eeny meeny').

 

 

 

The standard of illustration was further matched by that of Lammas Allana:

 

 

 

 

 

Illustration combining a piece of art completed some years before (see 'The Artist' page)

 

 

William's art and his poetry were, however, never far apart. Next is one of his prints followed by an early, unpublished poem:

 

 

 

 

Reaper

 

A sickle

Cleaved out of the sky at me

I saw its sharp curve clear.

 

The set

Clean and fresh for reaping

Newly ground for cutting down

Laying the harvest in.

 

Almost as if I were a mouse

Or an insect gripped on a stalk'

Huge and brown

The sleeve-rolled muscle-man came.

 

I touched his hand

As I fell.

It was hard

Grasping the bright sickle.

 

  

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