The Lamb (poem)

For other uses, see The Lamb (poem) (disambiguation).

Blake's illustration of "The Lamb"

"The Lamb " is a poem by William Blake, published in Songs of Innocence in 1789. Like many of Blake's works, the poem is about religion, specificially about Christianity.

It is said that the poem was intended to be set to music, which is why the words are so simple. The Lamb has been successfully made into a song by Vaughan Williams. It was also set to music by Sir John Tavener, who explained, "The Lamb came to me fully grown and was written in an afternoon and dedicated to my nephew Simon for his 3rd birthday." American poet Allen Ginsberg set the poem to music, along with several other of Blake's poems. (See: http://writing.upenn.edu/pennsound/x/Ginsberg-Blake.html)

The Lamb relates to another of Blake's poems, The Tyger, in Songs of Experience. One interpretation is that The Lamb is a look at childish innocence, and that The Tyger refers to the innocent child growing up. The latter contains the contrasting image, and contemplation, of God.

Jesus Christ is "The Lamb of God" - Blake makes the animal's name be secondary to Christ's name, seeing Christ was ordained to bear the sins of the world from before eternity; therefore it is called by God's name (not vice versa). We are also called by Christ's name: Child:he is the Son of God - from before eternity and we become God's Children through faith in him. In this way the lamb is called by God's name and the child is called by God's name.

"The Lamb"

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 whooly 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.