The Chimney Sweeper by William Blake

The Chimney Sweep

When my mother died I was very young,
And my father sold me while yet my tongue
Could scarcely cry ``'weep! 'weep! 'weep! 'weep!''
So your chimneys I sweep, & in soot I sleep.

There's little Tom Dacre, who cried when his head,
That curl'd like a lamb's back, was shav'd: so I said
``Hush, Tom! never mind it, for when you head's bare
You know that the soot cannot spoil your white hair.''

And so he was quiet, & that very night,
As Tom was a-sleeping, he had such a sight!
That thousands of sweepers, Dick, Joe, Ned, & Jack,
Were all of them lock'd up in coffins of black.

And by came an Angel who had a bright key,
And he open'd the coffins & set them free;
Then down a green plain leaping, laughing, they run,
And wash in a river, and shine in the Sun.

Then naked & white, all their bags left behind,
They rise upon clouds and sport in the wind;
And the Angel told Tom, if he'd be a good boy,
He'd have God for his father, & never want joy.

And so Tom awoke; and we rose in the dark,
And got with our bags & our brushes to work,
Tho the morning was cold, Tom was happy & warm,
So if all do their duty they need not fear harm. The Little Boy Lost

``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.

-By:  William Blake

~~~

William Blake Poetry Books

Available at Amazon.com

i) The Complete Works of Blake

ii) An Illustrated Blake

iii) Favourite Works of Blake.
Including Songs of Experience and Songs of Innocence

Blake Links

• Poetry of Blake
• Songs of Innocence
• Songs of Experience
• Europe A Prophecy
• British Poets - List of British Poets
• British Poetry - Selection of poetry from the great British Poets