William Blake, Songs Of Innocence, from Lyrics from William Blake, Volume I, Number I, A Reprint of Poetry and Prose for Book Lovers, chosen in part from scarce editions and sources not generally known, rare poetry, rare prose, free online text, e-book, 20th century English literature, online text, free e-book, on www.elfinspell.com (Bibelot1BlakeInnocence)

From The Bibelot, A Reprint of Poetry and Prose for Book Lovers, chosen in part from scarce editions and sources not generally known, Volume I, Testimonial Edition, Edited and Originally Published by Thomas B. Mosher, Portland, Maine; Wm. Wise & Co.; New York; 1904; p. 10.

SONGS OF INNOCENCE.

INTRODUCTION

PIPING down the valleys wild,
Piping songs of pleasant glee,
On a cloud I saw a child,
    And he laughing said to me:

“Pipe a song about a Lamb!”
    So I piped with merry cheer.
“Piper, pipe that song again;”
    So I piped: he wept to hear.

“Drop thy pipe, thy happy pipe;
    Sing thy songs of happy cheer!”
So I sang the same again,
    While he wept with joy to hear.

“Piper, sit thee down and write
    In a book, that all may read.”
So he vanished from my sight;
    And I plucked a hollow reed,

And I made a rural pen,
    And I stained the water clear,
And I wrote my happy songs
    Every child may joy to hear.

I. LYRICS FROM WILLIAM BLAKE

SONGS OF INNOCENCE.

INTRODUCTION

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