Introduction

by William Blake

　　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 vanish'd from my sight;

　　And I pluck'd 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.