Reeds of Innocence
Reeds of Innocence - meaning Summary
Childhood as Divine Source
Blake presents a simple scene where a piper receives inspiration from a child-figure and is urged to create a song about a lamb for children. The poem links childhood innocence with poetic creation: the child's request transforms playful music into a written song meant for communal reading. The humble materials and joyful tone emphasize accessibility and the idea that true vision and moral truth come from spontaneous, childlike purity.
Read Complete AnalysesPiping 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 cheer. 'Piper, pipe that song again;' So I piped: he wept to hear. 'Drop thy pipe, thy happy pipe; Sing thy songs of happy cheer!' So I sung the same again, While he wept with joy to hear. 'Piper, sit thee down and write In a book that all may read.' So he vanish'd from my sight; And I pluck'd a hollow reed, And I made a rural pen, And I stain'd the water clear, And I wrote my happy songs Every child may joy to hear.
Feel free to be first to leave comment.