Which poet wrote the collection 'Songs of Innocence'?

The poet who wrote the collection Songs of Innocence was William Blake. Blake first published the collection in 1789 as a small, illustrated volume of poems exploring childhood, joy, imagination, faith, and vulnerability.

Blake was not only a poet but also an engraver, painter, and printer. He created Songs of Innocence by etching both the words and decorative images onto copper plates, then printing and hand-colouring the pages. This combination of poetry and visual art was central to his conception of the work, rather than a later illustration added by someone else.

In 1794, Blake combined Songs of Innocence with Songs of Experience in a larger volume titled Songs of Innocence and of Experience Shewing the Two Contrary States of the Human Soul. The paired collections contrast protected innocence with social injustice, repression, and loss. Commonly remembered poems include “The Lamb,” “The Chimney Sweeper,” and “Infant Joy.”