William Blake, Songs of Innocence: Holy Thursday

Twas on a Holy Thursday their innocent faces clean
The children walking two & two in red & blue & green [*]
Grey headed beadles walkd before with wands as white as snow
4
Till into the high dome of Pauls they like Thames waters flow
O what a multitude they seemd these flowers of London town
Seated in companies they sit with radiance all their own
The hum of multitudes was there but multitudes of lambs
8
Thousands of little boys & girls raising their innocent hands
Now like a mighty wind they raise to heaven the voice of song
Or like harmonious thunderings the seats of heaven among
Beneath them sit the aged men wise guardians of the poor
12
Then cherish pity, lest you drive an angel from your door

Notes

line 2: In the facsimile, the last clear letters are "gre", with two following lowercase letters partly visible. [ Back to text ]