The Little Girl Lost

The Little Girl Lost is a poem written by the English poet William Blake. It was published as part of his collection Songs of Experience in 1794.

The Poem

In futurity

I prophetic see

That the earth from sleep

(Grave the sentence deep)

Shall arise and seek

For her maker meek;

And the desart wild

Become a garden mild.

In the southern clime,

Where the summer's prime

Never fades away,

Lovely Lyca lay.

Seven summers old

Lovely Lyca told;

She had wander'd long

Hearing the wild birds' song.

"Sweet sleep, come to me

Underneath this tree.

Do father, mother, weep?

Where can Lyca sleep?

"Lost in desart wild

Is your little child.

How can Lyca sleep

If her mother weep?

"If her heart does ake

Then let Lyca wake;

If my mother sleep,

Lyca shall not weep.

"Frowning, frowning night,

O'er this desart bright,

Let thy moon arise

While I close my eyes."

Sleeping Lyca lay

While the beasts of prey,

Come from cavers deep,

View'd the maid asleep.

The kingly lion stood,

And the virigin view'd,

Then he gambol'd round

O'er the hallow'd ground.

Leopards, tygers, play

Round her as she lay,

While the lion old

Bow'd his mane of gold

And her bosom lick,

And upon her neck

From his eyes of flame

Ruby tears there came;

While the lioness

Loos'd her slender dress,

And naked they convey'd

To caves the sleeping maid.