The Chimney Sweeper (Notebook)

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
For works with similar titles, see Chimney Sweeper.

From Notebook, p. 105 & 103, reversed. First draft of the poem The Chimney Sweeper (Blake, 1794) in Songs of Experience

1543921Notebook 47. The Chimney SweeperWilliam Blake

Notebook 47a - The Chimney Sweeper

Notebook 47b - The Chimney Sweeper

The Chimney Sweeper [1]

A little black thing among the snow
Crying "'weep, 'weep!" in notes of woe.
"Where are thy father & mother? say?"
"They are both gone up to the church to pray.

"Because I was happy upon the heath,
"And smil'd among the winter's [wind del.] snow,
"They clothed me in the clothes of death
"And taught me to sing the notes of woe.

"And because I am happy & dance & sing,
"They think they have done me no injury,
"And are gone to praise God & his Priest & King,
"[Who wrap themselves up in our misery. del.]
"Who make up a heaven of our misery."

________________________________________

  1. "Blake Complete Writings", ed. Geoffrey Keynes, pub. OUP 1966/85, p. 180.

This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.

Public domainPublic domainfalsefalse