Henry Charles Beeching, ed. (1859–1919). Lyra Sacra: A Book of Religious Verse. 1903.
By William Blake (1757–1827)The Two Songs
| I HEARD an Angel singing | |
| When the day was springing: | |
| “Mercy, pity, and peace | |
| Are the world’s release.” | |
| So he sang all day | 5 |
| Over the new-mown hay, | |
| Till the sun went down, | |
| And haycocks looked brown. | |
| I heard a devil curse | |
| Over the heath and the furse: | 10 |
| “Mercy could be no more | |
| If there were nobody poor, | |
| And pity no more could be | |
| If all were happy as ye: | |
| And mutual fear brings peace. | 15 |
| Misery’s increase | |
| Are mercy, pity, peace.” | |
| At his curse the sun went down, | |
| And the heavens gave a frown. | |