| Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed. 1919. The Oxford Book of English Verse: 1250–1900. |
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| William Blake. 1757–1827 |
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| 486. Reeds of Innocence |
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| PIPING down the valleys wild, | |
| Piping songs of pleasant glee, | |
| On a cloud I saw a child, | |
| And he laughing said to me: | |
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| 'Pipe a song about a Lamb!' | 5 |
| So I piped with merry cheer. | |
| 'Piper, pipe that song again;' | |
| So I piped: he wept to hear. | |
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| 'Drop thy pipe, thy happy pipe; | |
| Sing thy songs of happy cheer!' | 10 |
| So I sung the same again, | |
| While he wept with joy to hear. | |
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| 'Piper, sit thee down and write | |
| In a book that all may read.' | |
| So he vanish'd from my sight; | 15 |
| And I pluck'd a hollow reed, | |
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| 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. | 20 |
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