The Piper

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 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.