William Blake (1757-1827). From Songs of Innocence. Robert Bridges, ed. 1916. The Spirit of Man: An Anthology

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Robert Bridges, ed. (1844–1930). The Spirit of Man: An Anthology. 1916.

From Songs of Innocence

William Blake (1757–1827)


THE SUN 1 descending in the West,
The evening star doth shine;
The birds are silent in their nest,
And I must seek for mine.
The moon, like a flower	5
In heaven’s high bower,
With silent delight
Sits and smiles on the night.

Farewell, green fields and happy groves,
Where flocks have took delight.	10
Where Lambs have nibbled, silent moves
The feet of angels bright;
Unseen they pour blessing,
And joy without ceasing,
On each bud and blossom,	15
And each sleeping bosom …

And there the lion’s ruddy eyes
Shall flow with tears of gold,
And pitying the tender cries,
And walking round the fold,	20
Saying: Wrath by His meekness,
And, by His health, sickness,
Is driven away
From our immortal day …

Note 1. Blake. ‘Songs of Innocence’. In 2nd stanza moves the feet. The inflection of the 3rd person plural in s is perhaps due to familiarity with Shakespeare, in whose grammar it was ‘extremely common’, but has been changed in late editions. See Dr. Abbott’s Shakesp. Grammar § 333, who considers that it may have come from the Early English 3rd plur. in s. [back]

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