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The Annotated Edition

Nurse's Song by William Blake

Summary, meaning, line-by-line analysis & FAQ.

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A nurse observes children playing outside, feeling a deep sense of peace.

Poet
William Blake
Themes
childhood, freedom, nature
The PoemFull text

Nurse's Song

William Blake

When the voices of children are heard on the green, And laughing is heard on the hill, My heart is at rest within my breast, And everything else is still. "Then come home, my children, the sun is gone down, And the dews of night arise; Come, come, leave off play, and let us away, Till the morning appears in the skies." "No, no, let us play, for it is yet day, And we cannot go to sleep; Besides, in the sky the little birds fly, And the hills are all covered with sheep." "Well, well, go and play till the light fades away, And then go home to bed." The little ones leaped, and shouted, and laughed, And all the hills echoed.

Public domain

Sourced from Project Gutenberg

§01Quick summary

What this poem is about

A nurse observes children playing outside, feeling a deep sense of peace. As night approaches, she calls them in, but they plead for a little more time — and she gladly agrees. The poem concludes with the kids running freely and joyfully, their laughter echoing across the hills.

§02Themes

Recurring themes

§03Line by line

Stanza by stanza, with notes

  1. When the voices of children are heard on the green, / And laughing is heard on the hill,

    Editor's note

    The nurse starts by listening attentively. The sounds of children's voices and laughter resonate in the outdoor space — the greenery and the hillside — and that alone brings her a deep sense of calm. Blake connects the children's freedom to the nurse's emotional health: their happiness brings her peace.

  2. "Then come home, my children, the sun is gone down, / And the dews of night arise;"

    Editor's note

    The nurse calls the children in with a gentle tone instead of a commanding one. She explains her reasons — the sun has set, and the dew is coming up — rather than simply giving an order. The use of "my" conveys warmth and a sense of belonging. This is a nurturing authority, not a harsh one.

  3. "No, no, let us play, for it is yet day, / And we cannot go to sleep;"

    Editor's note

    The children counter with their own reasoning: there's still light, the birds are still in the sky, the sheep are still grazing on the hills. Nature itself supports their case — the world hasn't come to a halt, so why should they? Blake empowers the children by giving them a real voice, making them active participants instead of mere subjects under adult authority.

  4. "Well, well, go and play till the light fades away, / And then go home to bed."

    Editor's note

    The nurse gives in right away, showing no bitterness. "Well, well" carries a hint of a smile — a soft agreement. She establishes a new, fair limit (play until the light is really gone), and everyone is content. This marks the emotional turning point of the poem: adult authority yields to the happiness of childhood instead of stifling it.

  5. The little ones leaped, and shouted, and laughed, / And all the hills echoed.

    Editor's note

    The poem ends with a surge of unrestrained energy. The three verbs — leaped, shouted, laughed — stack up rapidly, reflecting the rush of movement the children exhibit when they’re allowed to keep playing. The hills that echo their laughter imply that nature itself is joining in, enhancing and celebrating their freedom.

§04Tone & mood

How this poem feels

Warm, light, and quietly joyful. The nurse's voice is calm and unhurried, and even the brief clash with the children feels more like playful banter than real tension. There's no anxiety here, no darkness—just a satisfied adult observing childhood unfolding as it should. Blake uses simple, song-like language, creating a lullaby-like quality that doesn't need to be sung at all.

§05Symbols & metaphors

Symbols & metaphors

The green and the hill
The outdoor landscape is where childhood truly thrives. It represents freedom, endless possibilities, and a world that belongs to children, free from the constraints of adult schedules and rules.
The setting sun and dew
These are the nurse's reasons for calling the children in — the natural signs that the day is ending. However, since the children are able to successfully argue against her, they also symbolize the adult world's effort to restrict joy, an effort that childhood manages to overcome, at least for a while.
The little birds and sheep
The children see these as proof that the natural world is vibrant and full of life. Birds and sheep represent their innocence and their natural connection to the living world around them.
The echoing hills
In the final line, the hills bounce the children's laughter back to them. Nature reflects and amplifies their joy, hinting that childhood happiness isn't only personal but also part of the world's very essence.

§06Historical context

Historical context

This poem is part of William Blake's *Songs of Innocence*, which he published in 1789. Blake not only wrote the collection but also illustrated and printed it himself using his own method called illuminated printing. The collection offers a view of the world filled with innocence, highlighting themes of childhood, joy, and spiritual openness. It’s later paired with *Songs of Experience* (1794), which features a darker counterpart also named "Nurse's Song." In this version, the nurse reflects on her lost youth with bitterness and resentment. Reading both poems together reveals one of Blake's signature techniques: the same title and setting, yet they evoke entirely different emotional landscapes. The 1789 poem is set in a pre-industrial England, where Blake was already observing how industrialization and institutional religion were starting to encroach on human freedom. This makes his celebration of childhood play both a lyrical and a subtly political statement.

§07FAQ

Questions readers ask

A nurse watches the children play outside as dusk approaches. When she calls them in, they plead for a little more time, and she happily agrees. The poem concludes with the kids leaping and laughing, their joy echoing off the hills. It's a charming, joyful snapshot of childhood freedom, highlighting a caring adult who understands the importance of letting go.

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Themes in this poem

Poems about childhoodPoems about freedomPoems about nature