William Blake (1757–1827). The Poetical Works. 1908. Songs of Experience The Little Girl Lost
IN 1 futurity I prophetic see That the earth from sleep (Grave the sentence deep) Shall arise and seek 5 For her Maker meek; And the desert wild Become a garden mild. In the southern clime, Where the summer’s prime 10 Never fades away, Lovely Lyca lay. Seven summers old Lovely Lyca told; She had wander’d long 15 Hearing wild birds’ song. ‘Sweet sleep, come to me Underneath this tree. Do father, mother, weep? Where can Lyca sleep? 20 ‘Lost in desert wild Is your little child. How can Lyca sleep If her mother weep? ‘If her heart does ache 25 Then let Lyca wake; If my mother sleep, Lyca shall not weep. ‘Frowning, frowning night, O’er this desert bright, 30 Let thy moon arise While I close my eyes.’ Sleeping Lyca lay While the beasts of prey, Come from caverns deep, 35 View’d the maid asleep. The kingly lion stood, And the virgin view’d, Then he gamboll’d round O’er the hallow’d ground. 40 Leopards, tigers, play Round her as she lay, While the lion old Bow’d his mane of gold And her bosom lick, 45 And upon her neck From his eyes of flame Ruby tears there came; While the lioness Loos’d her slender dress, 50 And naked they convey’d To caves the sleeping maid.
Note 1. Songs of Innocence, but were transferred by Blake to the Songs of Experience, on the completion of the latter. [back ]
