No. 2. Song: How Sweet I Roam'd

"No. 2. How Sweet I Roam'd" is the second song in Frank Lewin's song cycle Innocence and Experience, which sets seven texts of William Blake with two instrumental interludes.

Date: 1961Composer: Frank LewinText: William BlakeSong Collection: Innocence and Experience

Print vitals & song text

Text

Song: How Sweet I Roam’d
by William Blake

How sweet I roam’d from field to field,
And tasted all the summer’s pride,
‘Till I the prince of love beheld,
Who in the sunny beams did glide!

He shew’d me lilies for my hair,
And blushing roses for my brow;
He led me through his gardens fair,
Where all his golden pleasures grow.

With sweet May dews my wings were wet,
And Phoebus fir’d my vocal rage;
He caught me in his silken net,
And shut me in his golden cage.

He loves to sit and hear me sing,
Then, laughing, sports and plays with me;
Then stretches out my golden wing,
And mocks my loss of liberty.

Books

Audio

Track:

    Support us and help us grow

    Dear friends, Thank you for helping us build a comprehensive online archive of American song. Your gift is greatly appreciated.