William Blake (1757-1827)
The Lamb
1 Little Lamb, who made thee?
2 Dost thou know who made thee?
3Gave thee life, and bid thee feed
4By the stream and o'er the mead;
5Gave thee clothing of delight,
6Softest clothing, woolly, bright;
7Gave thee such a tender voice,
8Making all the vales rejoice?
9 Little Lamb, who made thee?
10 Dost thou know who made thee?
11 Little Lamb, I'll tell thee,
12 Little Lamb, I'll tell thee:
13He is called by thy name,
14For he calls himself a Lamb.
15He is meek, and he is mild;
16He became a little child.
17I a child, and thou a lamb.
18We are called by his name.
19 Little Lamb, God bless thee!
20 Little Lamb, God bless thee!
Online text copyright © 2009, Ian Lancashire (the Department of English) and the University of Toronto.
Published by the Web Development Group, Information Technology Services, University of Toronto Libraries.
Original text: William Blake, Songs of Innocence (1789). Blake's Illuminated Books, ed. David Bindman (Princeton, NJ: William Blake Trust; London: Tate Gallery, 1991-). See Vol. 2. PR 4142 B46 1991 ROBA.
First publication date:
1789
RPO poem editor: Northrop Frye
RP edition: 3RP 2.278.
Recent editing: 4:2002/3/14
Rhyme: aabbccddee
Other poems by William Blake
