William Blake's "The Lamb"

Text:
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!

Initial Reaction:
Blake directly addresses the lamb, asking about its creator and provider. The lamb represents innocence and good on Earth. As shown by lines 13-18, Blake draws parallels between the lamb, the narrator, and God: the lamb and the narrator are both God's children and are connected with him. I also note that the poem is lighthearted and makes the reader feel bright and positive.

Paraphrasing:
Little lamb, who made you?
Do you know who created you?

Gave you life and fed you

By the home which he gave you;

Gave you a good life,

Soft, wooly clothing;

Gave you gentleness and good,

Making the world happy?

Little lamb, who made you?
Do you know who created you?

Little lamb, I will tell you,

Little lamb, I will tell you:

He is called by your name,

He also is a lamb.

He is shy and gentle;

He became a child.

I'm a child, and I'm a lamb.

We are God's creations.

Little lamb, God bless you!

Little lamb, God bless you!

SWIFTT:
Syntax/Word Choice: The poem is composed of two stanzas, each containing five couplets, and is written in trochaic trimeter. By using words with positive connotations, such as “delight,” “bright,” “tender,” “rejoice,” “meek,” and “mild,” Blake uses diction to imply that the lamb is a serene, gentle, and innocent animal. 

Imagery: The first stanza of “The Lamb” is rich with imagery. The reader can picture the delightful little “by the stream and o’er the mead” with sun shining on its soft, “woolly, bright,” fur (4, 6).

Figurative Language: Blake uses apostrophe and repetition in "The Lamb." Apostrophe is first apparent in the very first line of the poem, "Little Lamb, who made thee?" The entire poem addresses the lamb, although it is incapable of responding. The phrases, "Dost thou know who made thee? " "Little Lamb, I'll tell thee," and "Little Lamb, God bless thee!" are each repeated twice in "The Lamb."

Tone:

The tone of the poem is joyous and peaceful. Blake accomplishes this by using positive imagery and words  such as "delight" and "rejoice." "The Lamb" can also be seen as childish and innocent.

Theme:
God has created good, in the form of a lamb, on Earth.

Conclusion:

Although obscured by soft, positive words, Blake is addressing a very serious question: Who created good--the innocent lamb? He then concludes that God built such a creature and therefore created goodness on Earth. "The Lamb" focuses on God's positive creations, whereas Blake's "The Tyger," a related poem, questions the creator's ability to form evil as well.