 | Late songs |  |
39
THE SLEEP
God thought of sleep, so that He might
Cradle His Man in the cool night
With more than mother's love, and hold
Warm to His breast the child of old.
Cradle His Man in the cool night
With more than mother's love, and hold
Warm to His breast the child of old.
Poor Man, that is so proud and high,
Yet he must fall asleep and lie
Open to all the winds and harms,
Unless God rocks him in His arms.
Yet he must fall asleep and lie
Open to all the winds and harms,
Unless God rocks him in His arms.
Poor Man, though all besmirched, shall keep
Yet the last innocence of sleep,
And like a child must lie alone
Defenceless, harmless, overthrown.
Yet the last innocence of sleep,
And like a child must lie alone
Defenceless, harmless, overthrown.
God's gentleness with sinners see!
In sleep they will not disagree
Nor hurt as only lovers can;
They are at one, God and His Man.
In sleep they will not disagree
Nor hurt as only lovers can;
They are at one, God and His Man.
40
Tenderly night shall find him, held
To a kind breast, who late rebelled;
New-reconciled with kisses he
Shall slumber on a mighty knee.
To a kind breast, who late rebelled;
New-reconciled with kisses he
Shall slumber on a mighty knee.
Man's but a toddling child, stripped bare
Of all the countless years that were;
Little and low: God's art to keep
A youngling thing in His arms asleep.
Of all the countless years that were;
Little and low: God's art to keep
A youngling thing in His arms asleep.
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