Page 46 - 100 Best Loved Poems - Teaching Unit

“The Lamb”
by William Blake, page 24

Vocabulary
vales – valleys

1. In the first two lines of this poem, Blake repeats the phrase, “who made thee?” What is this kind of
repetition of a short phrase in poetry called?

The literary term for this is anaphora.

2. What is the Lamb a metaphor of?

The Lamb of the poem is a metaphor for a child, someone innocent and unmarked by life’s
experiences. It may also refer to the Christ, the Lamb of God.

3. How, according to the speaker, are the Little Lamb and its creator similar?

The speaker reminds the Little Lamb that its creator, God, is often referred to as Lamb (Jesus
Christ), and like the Little Lamb, he once took the form of a child on Earth.

4. What type of rhyme scheme is the poem written in?

The first stanza of the poem is written in rhyming couplets. The second stanza features a
circular/symmetrical rhyme scheme of a/a/b/c/d/d/c/b/a/a.

“The Sick Rose”
by William Blake, pages 24-25

Vocabulary
crimson – deep red

1. A rose is a traditional symbol of love. What may be the poem’s symbolic message or meaning?

Answers may vary. Example: The rose (love) is being killed by a worm (a symbol of death). The
“crimson bed” may be destroyed by the ways in which love is often unspoken of, as it causes
blushing (one’s cheeks to turn to crimson).

2. What is the poem’s rhyme scheme? What does this scheme infer about the poem’s tone?

The poem consists of two stanzas, rhyming A/B/A/B. The scheme suggests a sense of directness and
dread that accompanies love’s demise.

3. After reading this short work, what do you think author felt when he created it? Use evidence from
the text for support.

Answers may vary. Example: The poem begins with an exclamation, which exudes strong emotion
of surprise, despair, or regret. The poem ends with the word “destroy,” maintaining the sad, angry,
negative tone of the poem.

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