Religion

The Lamb

by William Blake 1757–1827

From Songs Of Innocence

Religion

Little Lamb, who made thee
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!

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The innocent counterpart to ‘The Tyger.’ Here a child answers his own question with serene certainty: Christ, lamb and child collapse into one gentle identity — a faith not yet troubled by the darker creation Blake would set beside it.

MLA

Blake, William. “The Lamb.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/blake/3/.

Chicago

Blake, William. “The Lamb.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/blake/3/.

Read this poem with the Codex →

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