William Blake: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

Songs of Experience/Earth's Answer

William Blake

“Songs of Experience/Earth's Answer” as printed in Songs of Innocence and of Experience (1826) (1826).

William Blake: Collected Lyrics Text 1 1826 · historical text
Public domainSong lyricsRomantic
Complete public-domain lyrics

This text comes from Songs of Innocence and of Experience (1826), a historical songbook transcribed on Wikisource and reproduced from the pinned revision linked below.

Verse 1

Earth rais'd up her head,

From the darkness dread & drear.

Her light fled.

Stony dread!

And her locks cover'd with grey despair.

Verse 2

Prison'd on watry shore

Starry Jealousy does keep my den

Cold and hoar

Weeping o'er

I hear the Father of the ancient men

Verse 3

Selfish father of men

Cruel jealous selfish fear

Can delight

Chain'd in night

The virgins of youth and morning bear.

Verse 4

Does spring hide its joy,

When buds and blossoms grow?

Does the sower?

Sow by night?

Or the plowman in darkness plow?

Verse 5

Break this heavy chain.

That does freeze my bones around

Selfish! vain,

Eternal bane!

That free Love with bondage bound.

Credits

Written by William Blake

Words by William Blake. Historical text published in Songs of Innocence and of Experience (1826) (1826); public domain. No claim to a modern recording or arrangement.

Source & text edition

Songs of Innocence and of Experience (1826) (1826), “Songs of Experience/Earth's Answer”

Every text in this 1826 collection is by William Blake (1757-1827), who died more than 190 years ago, so the text is in the public domain worldwide; the edition carries a Wikisource PD-old determination.

How to read this historical text and its source

Read the source on Wikisource

View copyright evidence · Transcription terms (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Retrieved 2026-10-25. Line spacing and section labels are adapted for reading. The displayed text follows the linked edition. Editorial notes and abstract artwork are by 52lyrics.
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