Introduction to the Songs of Innocence
Introduction to the Songs of Innocence
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 chear,
Piper pipe that song again—
So I piped, he wept to hear.
Drop thy pipe thy happy pipe
Sing thy songs of happy chear,
So I sung the same again
While he wept with joy to hear
Pip...
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Introduction (Songs of Innocence) Themes
Innocence: In this poem, innocence is shown through the image of a smiling child on a cloud. The child encourages the speaker to make music and poetry. The child cries in happiness after hearing the speaker’s music and poetry. The poet suggests that being innocent like a child is full of joy, trust, and imagination. In his collection Songs of Innocence, Blake presents a childlike, innocent view of...
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Introduction (Songs of Innocence) Literary Devices
Alliteration: Repetition of initial consonant sounds, e.g., "Piping down the valleys wild."
Assonance: Repetition of vowel sounds, e.g., "Sing thy songs of happy chear."
Metaphor: The "cloud" symbolizes the child's innocence.
Imagery: Vivid mental images are created throughout the poem. “Valleys Wild” and “On a cloud I saw a child” are examples.
Symbols
The Child: The child on the cloud stands for...
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Introduction (Songs of Innocence) key Facts
Title: Introduction
Poet: William Blake (1757-1827)
Publication: The poem was published in Blake’s Songs of Innocence in 1789.
Form: Five rhymed quatrains (four-line stanzas)
Rhyme Scheme: Stanzas 1 and 4 use an ABAB pattern; the rest of the stanzas use an ABCB pattern.
Symbols:
The Child - Innocence, Joy, Trust in Life The Lamb - Jesus (gentleness, sacrifice, hope).
Important Note: This poem is...
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Introduction (Songs of Innocence) Quotes
On a cloud, I saw a child.
And he laughing said to me.
Pipe a song about a Lamb;
So I piped with merry chear,
Piper pipe that song again—
So I piped, he wept to hear.
Piper sit thee down and write
In a book that all may read—
So he vanish'd from my sight.
And I wrote my happy songs
Every child may joy to hear.
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Introduction (Songs of Innocence) Summary
The Piper Meets a Mystical Child: At the beginning, the poet walks through a wild, beautiful valley. He happily plays cheerful music on his pipe. He sees a smiling child sitting on a cloud. The child seems happy to hear the music. The child asks the speaker to play a song about a lamb. So, he does it with joy. The child then asks him to play the same song again. When he plays the song again, the c...
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