"I have no name: I am but two days old." What shall I call thee? "I happy am, Joy is my name." Sweet joy befall thee! Pretty Joy! Sweet Joy, but two days old. Sweet Joy I call thee: Thou dost smile, I sing the while, Sweet joy befall thee!
Blake Texts
Song Cycle by Douglas McGilvra (b. 1945)
1. Infant Joy  [sung text not yet checked]
Text Authorship:
- by William Blake (1757 - 1827), "Infant Joy", appears in Songs of Innocence and Experience, in Songs of Innocence, no. 17, first published 1789
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Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- RUS Russian (Русский) [singable] (Dmitri Nikolaevich Smirnov) , "Дитя-радость", copyright ©, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
2. The little boy lost  [sung text not yet checked]
``Father! father! where are you going? O do not walk so fast. Speak, father, speak to your little boy, Or else I shall be lost.'' The night was dark, no father was there; The child was wet with dew; The mire was deep, & the child did weep, And away the vapour flew.
Text Authorship:
- by William Blake (1757 - 1827), "The little boy lost", appears in Songs of Innocence and Experience, in Songs of Innocence, no. 8, first published 1789
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Researcher for this page: Ahmed E. Ismail3. The little boy found  [sung text not yet checked]
The little boy lost in the lonely fen, Led by the wand'ring light, Began to cry; but God, ever nigh, Appear'd like his father, in white. He kissed the child, and by the hand led, And to his mother brought, Who in sorrow pale, thro' the lonely dale, Her little boy weeping sought.
Text Authorship:
- by William Blake (1757 - 1827), "The little boy found", appears in Songs of Innocence and Experience, in Songs of Innocence, no. 9, first published 1789
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Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]4. Spring  [sung text not yet checked]
Sound the Flute! Now [it's]1 mute. Birds delight Day and Night. Nightingale In the dale, Lark in Sky, 2 Merrily, Merrily Merrily to welcome in the Year. Little Boy, Full of Joy; Little Girl, Sweet and small. Cock does crow, So do you. Merry voice Infant noise Merrily Merrily to welcome in the Year. Little Lamb Here I am, Come and [lick My white neck]3. Let me pull Your soft Wool. Let me kiss Your soft face. Merrily Merrily [we]4 welcome in the Year.
Text Authorship:
- by William Blake (1757 - 1827), "Spring", appears in Songs of Innocence and Experience, in Songs of Innocence, no. 15, first published 1789
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View original text (without footnotes)Confirmed with William Blake, Songs of Innocence, 1789.
1 MacNutt: "'tis"2 Dougherty adds: "Out of sight"
3 MacNutt: "play/ Hours away"
4 MacNutt: "to"
Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Garrett Medlock [Guest Editor]
5. The blossom  [sung text not yet checked]
Merry, merry sparrow! Under leaves so green A happy blossom Sees you, swift as arrow, Seek your cradle narrow, Near my bosom. Pretty, pretty robin! Under leaves so green A happy blossom Hears you sobbing, sobbing, Pretty, pretty robin, Near my bosom.
Text Authorship:
- by William Blake (1757 - 1827), "The blossom", appears in Songs of Innocence and Experience, in Songs of Innocence, no. 6, first published 1789
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Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]6. Ah! sun‑flower  [sung text not yet checked]
Ah, Sun-flower! weary of time, Who countest the steps of the Sun; Seeking after that sweet golden clime, Where the traveller's journey is done: Where the Youth pined away with desire, And the pale Virgin shrouded in snow, Arise from their graves and aspire Where my Sun-flower wishes to go.
Text Authorship:
- by William Blake (1757 - 1827), "Ah! Sun-flower! weary of time", appears in Songs of Innocence and Experience, in Songs of Experience, no. 14, first published 1794
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Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- CAT Catalan (Català) (Salvador Pila) , copyright © 2024, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- FRE French (Français) (Guy Laffaille) , "Ah ! tournesol !", copyright © 2009, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- SPA Spanish (Español) (Elisa Rapado) , copyright © 2020, (re)printed on this website with kind permission