William Blake: Collected Lyrics
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Public-domain lyrics

Songs of Innocence/Nurse's Song

William Blake

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

William Blake: Collected Lyrics Text 13 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

Transcription(contributor provided)

Nurse's Song

Verse 2

When the voices of children are heard on the green

And laughing is heard on the hill,

My heart is at rest within my breast

And every thing else is still

Verse 3

Then come home my children the sun is gone down

And the dews of night arise

Come come leave off play, and let us away

Till the morning appears in the skies

Verse 4

No no let us play, for it is yet day

And we cannot go to sleep

Besides in the sky, the little birds fly

And the hills are all coverd with sheep

Verse 5

Well well go & play till the light fades away

And then go home to bed

The little ones leaped & shouted & laugh'd

And all the hills ecchoed

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 Innocence/Nurse's Song”

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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