William Blake: Collected Lyrics
07 / 21
Public-domain lyrics

Songs of Experience/The Little Girl Lost

William Blake

“Songs of Experience/The Little Girl Lost” as printed in Songs of Innocence and of Experience (1826) (1826).

William Blake: Collected Lyrics Text 7 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

In futurity

I prophetic see,

That the earth from sleep,

(Grave the sentence deep)

Verse 2

Shall arise and seek

For her maker meek;

And the desart wild

Become a garden mild.

Verse 3

In the southern clime,

Where the summers prime,

Never fades away;

Lovely Lyca lay.

Verse 4

Seven summers old

Lovely Lyca told,

She had wanderd long,

Hearing wild birds song.

Verse 5

Sweet sleep come to me

Underneath this tree;

Do father, mother weep,—

Where can Lyca sleep.

Verse 6

Lost in desart wild

Is your little child.

How can Lyca sleep,

If her mother weep.

Verse 7

If her heart does ake,

Then let Lyca wake;

If my mother sleep,

Lyca shall not weep.

Verse 8

Frowning frowning night,

O'er this desart bright,

Let thy moon arise,

While I close my eyes.

Verse 9

Sleeping Lyca lay;

While the beasts of prey,

Come from caverns deep,

View'd the maid asleep

Verse 10

The kingly lion stood

And the virgin view'd,

Then he gambold round

O'er the hallowd ground:

Verse 11

Leopards, tygers play,

Round her as she lay;

While the lion old,

Bow'd his mane of gold,

Verse 12

And her bosom lick,

And upon her neck,

From his eyes of flame,

Ruby tears there came;

Verse 13

While the lioness,

Loos'd her slender dress,

And naked they convey'd

To caves the sleeping maid.

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/The Little Girl Lost”

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.
Keep tracing

More from William Blake: Collected Lyrics.

01Songs of Experience/Earth's AnswerPublic-domain lyrics02Songs of Experience/Holy ThursdayPublic-domain lyrics03Songs of Experience/IntroductionPublic-domain lyrics04Songs of Experience/My Pretty Rose TreePublic-domain lyrics