Set by John Mitchell (1941-) op. 25, Visions from the Flame, no. 5 (1977).
Text by William Blake (1757-1827)
I asked a thief to steal me a peach:
He turned up his eyes.
I ask'd a lithe lady to lie her down:
Holy and meek, she cries.
As soon as I went
An Angel came:
He wink'd at the thief,
And smil'd at the dame;
And without one word [said]1
Had a peach from the tree,
[And still as a maid]2
Enjoy'd the lady.
1 Mitchell: "spoke"
2 Mitchell: "And between earnest and joke"
