WILLIAM BLAKE (1757-1827)

From 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 sung 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.

THE LAMB

Little Lamb, who made thee?
Dost thou know who made thee?
Gave thee life, and bid thee feed
By the stream and o'er the mead;
Gave thee clothing of delight,

Softest clothing, woolly, bright;
Gave thee such a tender voice,
Making all the vales rejoice?

Little Lamb, who made thee?
Dost thou know who made thee?

Little Lamb, I'll tell thee, Little Lamb, I'll tell thee: He is called by thy name, For He calls Himself a Lamb. He is meek, and He is mild; He became a little child. I a child, and thou a lamb, We are called by His name. Little Lamb, God bless thee! Little Lamb, God bless thee!

race,

85

Or, yielding part (which equal knaves demand),

To gain a lawless passport through the land.

From THE BOROUGH

Old Peter Grimes made fishing his employ;

5

His wife he cabined with him and his boy,
And seemed that life laborious to enjoy.
To town came quiet Peter with his fish,
And had of all a civil word and wish.
And took young Peter in his hand to pray:
He left his trade upon the Sabbath day,
But soon the stubborn boy from care broke
loose,

At first refused, then added his abuse; His father's love he scorned, his power defied,

IO

eye.

Here too the lawless merchant of the

main

died.