The Lamb
Little Lamb who made thee
Dost thou know who made thee
Gave thee life & bid thee feed.
By the stream & o'er the mead;
Gave thee clothing of delight,
Softest clothing wooly bright;
Gave thee such a tender voice,
Making all the vales rejoice!
Little Lamb who made thee
Dost thou know who made thee
Little Lamb I'll tell thee,
Little Lamb I'll tell thee!
He is called by thy name,
For he calls himself a Lamb:
He is meek & he is mild,
He became a little child:
I a child & thou a lamb,
We are called by his name.
Little Lamb God bless thee.
Little Lamb God bless thee.
Dost thou know who made thee
Gave thee life & bid thee feed.
By the stream & o'er the mead;
Gave thee clothing of delight,
Softest clothing wooly bright;
Gave thee such a tender voice,
Making all the vales rejoice!
Little Lamb who made thee
Dost thou know who made thee
Little Lamb I'll tell thee,
Little Lamb I'll tell thee!
He is called by thy name,
For he calls himself a Lamb:
He is meek & he is mild,
He became a little child:
I a child & thou a lamb,
We are called by his name.
Little Lamb God bless thee.
Little Lamb God bless thee.
Form
This poem has two stanzas, and each has 5 rhyming couplets. The repetition in the first and last couplets create a refrain which makes the poem have a song-like quality.
Commentary
"The Lamb" is a child's song in the form of question and answer. The first stanza is descriptive and rural while the second one is more abstract and spiritual. Even though the child asks simple questions like "who made thee?", the question is deep at the same time because it's what all human beings ask about their origins and creation. The answer is presented as a puzzle, and it's easy to solve. The answer reveals the child's belief in his simple Christian faith and his innocent acceptance of its teachings.
The lamb symbolizes Jesus. The traditional image of Jesus as a lamb represents the Christian values of gentleness, meekness, and peace. The image of the child is also associated with Jesus. In the Gospel, Jesus displays a special attentiveness for children, and the Bible’s depiction of Jesus in his childhood shows him as guileless and vulnerable. This poem, like many of the Songs of Innocence, accepts what Blake saw as the more positive parts of conventional Christian belief.
The lamb symbolizes Jesus. The traditional image of Jesus as a lamb represents the Christian values of gentleness, meekness, and peace. The image of the child is also associated with Jesus. In the Gospel, Jesus displays a special attentiveness for children, and the Bible’s depiction of Jesus in his childhood shows him as guileless and vulnerable. This poem, like many of the Songs of Innocence, accepts what Blake saw as the more positive parts of conventional Christian belief.