SOME CHILDREN'S POETS
Reading edition
William Blake
PIPING DOWN THE VALLEYS WILD
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.
THE LAMB
Little lamb, who made thee? Dost thou know who made thee, Gave thee life and bade 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!
LAUGHING SONG
When the green wood laughs with the voice of joy, And the dimpling stream runs laughing by; When the air does laugh with our merry wit, And the green hill laughs with the noise of it;
When the meadows laugh with lively green, And the grasshopper laughs in the merry scene; When Mary, and Susan, and Emily With their sweet round mouths sing, "Ha ha he!"
When the painted birds laugh in the shade, When our table with cherries and nuts is spread; Come live, and be merry, and join with me, To sing the sweet chorus of "Ha ha he!"