The Lamb

The poem features several repeated lines that act as a refrain, framing the poem’s two stanzas. A refrain is a device that appears in poetry and songs. Here in Blake’s poem, the refrain draws out the musicality of the verse, giving the lines a singsong, or nursery rhyme-like, quality. A refrain also provides emphasis in a poem, making the reader’s eyes linger over the repeated words and consider their significance with extra thought. However, the refrain in “The Lamb” does more than simply provide musicality and emphasis; rather, the refrain signals the didactic purpose of the poem. For example, the poem opens with a refrain in the form of a rhetorical question: “Little Lamb who made thee / Dost thou know who made thee” (Lines 1-2). The question initially appears fanciful, especially given the singsong repetition of the lines. Nevertheless, when the speaker repeats the refrain at the end of the first stanza, after enumerating the lamb’s distinctive gifts, the lines take on an extra weight and meaning. The philosophical and instructional nature of the question becomes clear: The speaker inquires about the lamb’s unique place in the diverse array of creation.

Although refrains are a characteristic device found in children’s verse and nursery rhymes, they are also common in catechistic writing—that is, writing intended to teach Christian doctrine to children or adult converts. The refrain in “The Lamb” enables Blake to veil a philosophical quandary about the origins of creation in the guise of a fanciful children’s verse. By using a refrain reminiscent of the catechistic tradition, Blake shares his religious message in a form that is at once recognizable to his audience while nonetheless radical in his blending of fanciful and didactic tones.