I caught a reference to William Blake‘s “The Tyger” in, of all things, a graphic novel I was reading. I recognized it, having read it a long time ago, and recalled it’s elegant way of contrasting the beauty and the ferocity of the animal. I wanted to read the whole thing and learn a little more. Discovered that the poem was in a collection of poems intended to be song lyrics, called Songs of Experience. A previous poetry collection of Blake’s was the Songs of Innocence and contained the sister poem “The Lamb“.
A theme in much of Blake’s work was his philosophy of “contraries”: The belief that the struggle of humanity is based on the concept of the contrary nature of things, and thus, to achieve truth one must see the contraries in innocence and experience. I like the idea and to keep it in my mind and more easily “see” the contrast I decided to list both poems and his original plates here, side by side.
 “The Lamb” from Songs of Innocence (1789) by William Blake 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 callèd 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 callèd by His name. Little lamb, God bless thee! Little lamb, God bless thee! |
 “The Tyger” from Songs of Experience (1799) by William BlakeTyger Tyger, burning bright, In the forests of the night; What immortal hand or eye, Could frame thy fearful symmetry?In what distant deeps or skies. Burnt the fire of thine eyes? On what wings dare he aspire? What the hand, dare seize the fire? And what shoulder, & what art, What the hammer? what the chain, When the stars threw down their spears Tyger Tyger burning bright, |