The Lamb Lyrics
Dost thou know who made thee?
Gave thee life, and bid thee feed
By the stream and o'er the mead;
Gave thee clothing of delight
Softest clothing, woolly, 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, and he is mild;
He became a little child
I a child, and thou a lamb
We are called by his name
Little Lamb, God bless thee!
Little Lamb, God bless thee!
About
From Blake’s Songs of Innocence. published in 1794, this was one of the series of poems which present an idealised world, in contrast to the harsh realities of late 18th and early 19th Century life during the time of King George III, known — ironically given the terrible social conditions of the time — as the Romantic Era. Each poem in the “Songs of Innocence” category is matched by a grim portrayal in Songs of Experience. The contrast is Blake’s method of social protest.
The lamb was a common symbol found in Blake’s writing, In this poem, Blake admires the lamb for its happiness, as well as their association with Jesus Christ. It was made to contrast another one of his poems, The Tyger.
Structure
In this poem Blake chose irregular length stanzas, ten, two, six and two lines. The rhyme scheme for the first stanza is rhyming couplets, and this pattern follows for the two line couplets. The six line stanza differs with the pattern ABCCBA. The metrical rhythm also varies — a mix of iambs and anapaests, but the overall effect is jaunty and optimistic. The question and answer format of the first stanza gives it a child-like quality.
Language and Imagery
The language is simple and accessible, in contrast to the more complex partner to this poem, The Tyger. The lamb is a symbol of innocence and its association with Jesus Christ is the key to understanding it, something that would have been obvious to his contemporaries, as in The Lamb of God.
Q&A
Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning
- 2.The Shepherd
- 4.The Lamb
- 6.The Blossom
- 10.Laughing Song
- 11.A Cradle Song
- 14.Night
- 17.Infant Joy
- 18.A Dream