354. Reeds of Innocence

William Blake (1757—1827)

  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 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.