Blake uses a tightly controlled form to reflect his critical views of the nature of power in the city. The poem is written in an ABAB rhyme scheme, alluding to restriction and confinement. This directly mirrors the way in which institutions of high authority were able to control every aspect of society's lives. By using a fixed form, Blake presents structure itself as a symbol of oppression, highlighting how the abuse of power by systems like the Church and monarchy traps the innocent in suffering they cannot escape.
