Lambs Fight Back

Last week, this blog made a pejorative and unsubstantiated claim that the lamb in William Blake’s poem “Tyger, Tyger” was ‘wimpy-assed’ (see Burning Bright). Since then, there has been a barrage of angry mail from lambs across the globe. I’ve reprinted, with permission, one of the letters; one that I think best highlights the concerns of lambs:

Dear Effulgent13,

It is with both the disappointment and anger of lambs that this letter is written. We lambs have enjoyed reading your blog. We especially enjoyed your comments regarding James Joyce and William Burroughs (and nobody, not even lambs – who are known for their literary culture - has ever been able to read “The Brothers Karamazov”). But we were horrified to discover a reference to William Blake, and your blog’s complicity in Blake’s misrepresentation of lambs.

Ever since William Blake first put pen to paper (or quill to parchment – which was probably made from lambskin!)* and blithely seconded the image of ‘lamb’ as a symbol/metaphor for goodness/innocence, we lambs have suffered. (We acknowledge that the biblical Lamb of God – Jesus Christ – was Blake’s original inspiration, but we feel he overstepped this religious imagery and made his poetry too much about actual lambs). This kind of “pedestal placing” puts too much pressure on animals to be, well, not animals. Lambs, like all of God’s creatures, are flawed. The ‘Christ-like’ semblance of lamb, in which readers of William Blake have been led to believe, is unrealistic. And compare this with Blake’s portrayal of the spirited tiger – the ‘bad-ass’, if you will - tigers are allowed to misbehave, to be ‘devilish’; it is even exalted. This is unfair!

But let it also be said that lambs are not weak. The image of lamb as ‘wimpy-assed’, as your blog so egregiously espoused, is false. We are tough when toughness is needed. Witness how we put up with Australian farmers cutting away our ‘wimpy-asses’ without any anaesthetic (see mulesing). It would be interesting to see the reaction of an un-anaesthetised tiger having his bottom cut away.

We hope this letter has gone some way to explain our grievances with William Blake. And we hope your blog is more thoughtful and considerate in future.

Yours sincerely and Baaa,

Rufus Aurelius Lambus
President; The Society of Lambs against Songs of Innocence and Experience
Motto: “Williamus Blakus Folus; Lambus Bastardus Meanum” **
(Translation: “William Blake is a Fool; Lambs are Mean Bastards”)

This blog offers a humble and unreserved apology to anyone who was offended by its recent remarks, and for its ignorance of the plight of lambs and the disrespect shorn…sorry, shown. And, by way of making amends, offers this:

* OK, it was probably calfskin, but lambs are united in solidarity with the sufferings of their calf-brothers and calf-sisters

** Scholars of Latin will recognize this as Mock-Latin