Songs of Innocence and Experience by William Blake :: essays research papers

Songs of Innocence and Experience. (1794) by William Blake 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 chear. Piper, pipe that song again - So I piped: he wept to hear. Drop thy pipe, thy happy pipe, Sing thy songs of happy chear: 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 vanish’d from my sight And I pluck’d a hollow reed, And I made a rural pen And I stain’d the water clear And I wrote my happy songs, Every child may joy to hear. The Shepherd How sweet is the Shepherd's sweet lot! From the morn to the evening he strays; He shall follow his sheep all the day And his tongue shall be filled with praise. For he hears the lambs innocent call, And he hears the ewes tender reply. He is watchful while they are in peace, For they know when their Shepherd is nigh. The Ecchoing Green The Sun does arise And make happy the skies, The merry bells ring To welcome the Spring: The skylark and thrush The birds of the bush Sing louder around To the bells' chearful sound, While our sports shall be seen On the Ecchoing Green. Old John with white hair Does laugh away care Sitting under the oak Among the old folk. They laugh at our play, And soon they all say: Such, such were the joys When we all girls & boys In our youth-time were seen On the Ecchoing Green Till the little ones weary No more can be merry, The sun does descend, And our sports have an end: Round the laps of their mothers Many sisters and brothers, Like birds in their nest, Are ready for rest: And sport no more seen On the darkening Green. The Lamb Little Lamb, who made thee? Dost thou know who made thee? Gave thee life & bid thee feed By the stream & 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 & he is mild, He became a little child: I a child & thou a lamb, We are called by his name: Little Lamb god bless thee, Little Lamb god bless thee! The Little Black Boy My mother bore me in the southern wild,