The Little Girl Lost by William Blake

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This is a poem in Blake's "Songs of Innocence & Experience: Showing The Two Contrary States of the Human Soul."

This poem is ripe with Biblical images. In fact, I'd argue that the entire poem is an extended metaphor, not to be taken literally at all. Though, there is a narrative story in the poem, the action of this story must be taken metaphorically.

This poem is about a 7 year old girl who becomes separated from her parents and lost in a desert. She falls asleep under a tree. Then some wild beasts (leopards and lions and tigers--OH MY!) come out of a cave and see her. They play at her feet, and then the kingly lion licks her. They then strip her naked and bring her to their cave.

This is how the poem ends. 

Unlocking this poem is rather fun. Though, it does take a little bit of digging and a lot of knowledge of the Bible, I believe it is very worthwhile even if you are not religious or Christian.  We will see how Blake both uses the imagery of Christianity while offering a criticism to his 19th century Christian readers.