William Blake · England · 1789
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!
William Blake · England · 1789
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!
“ Little Lamb, who made thee…”
Blake presents a simple but profound conversation between a speaker and a lamb, asking the innocent creature whether it understands its own origins and creator. The speaker describes the lamb's creation with wonder—how it was given life, nourishment, soft wool, and a gentle voice that brings joy to the valleys. There's a childlike quality to these questions, as if the speaker is marveling at the perfection of nature's smallest details.
“ Little Lamb, I'll tell thee;…”
Then the speaker offers an answer that reveals the poem's deeper spiritual meaning: the lamb's creator is God, who Blake refers to as a Lamb himself. This is a direct reference to Christ, who is traditionally called the Lamb of God. The speaker explains that just as the lamb embodies gentleness and innocence, so does the divine—meek, mild, and willing to become a child to understand humanity.
Why this poem matters
Blake wrote this poem in 1789 as part of his collection 'Songs of Innocence,' which celebrates the perspective of childhood and spiritual purity. The poem emerged during the Romantic era, when poets increasingly found spiritual truth in nature and simple, everyday moments rather than in formal religious doctrine alone.