 | [Poems by Cary in] The poems of Alice and Phoebe Cary with introduction and notes |  |
THE LULLABY.
Through the open summer lattice,
Half revealed and half in shade,
Yesternight I saw a mortal
Whose remembrance will not fade.
Half revealed and half in shade,
Yesternight I saw a mortal
Whose remembrance will not fade.
Little birds their heads had hidden
Under wings of gold and brown;
Lily bells and luscious blossoms
Softly had been folded down;
Under wings of gold and brown;
Lily bells and luscious blossoms
Softly had been folded down;
Fountains with their quiet dropping
Only lulled the drowsy bees;
And the wind was lightly going
In and out the tops of trees;
Only lulled the drowsy bees;
And the wind was lightly going
In and out the tops of trees;
But the pale and restless creature—
Had she dreamed too much before?—
Seemed as one whom sleep would visit
Never, never, never more.
Had she dreamed too much before?—
Seemed as one whom sleep would visit
Never, never, never more.
429
Rocking by the summer lattice,
Rocking to and fro, she sung,
O, the saddest, saddest music
Ever fell from mortal tongue!
Rocking to and fro, she sung,
O, the saddest, saddest music
Ever fell from mortal tongue!
So she strove to hush the crying,
Bitterer that 't was faint and low,
Of the little baby pressing
Close against her heart of woe.
Bitterer that 't was faint and low,
Of the little baby pressing
Close against her heart of woe.
And her words were very mournful,
And so very, very faint;
She was keeping down her anguish,
That no ear might hear her plaint.
And so very, very faint;
She was keeping down her anguish,
That no ear might hear her plaint.
“Lullaby, my wretched baby;
Go to sleep and sleep till morn!
Lullaby, my wretched baby;
Would that thou hadst not been born!
Go to sleep and sleep till morn!
Lullaby, my wretched baby;
Would that thou hadst not been born!
“Mock me not with open eyelids,
For thine eyes are soft and blue;
While in mine the midnight blackness
Deepens, looking down on you.
For thine eyes are soft and blue;
While in mine the midnight blackness
Deepens, looking down on you.
“Time shall bind about your forehead
Sunny hair in golden bands;
Tangle not my raven tresses
With your soft and clinging hands!
Sunny hair in golden bands;
Tangle not my raven tresses
With your soft and clinging hands!
“Lullaby, my wretched baby;
O, how long the watches seem!
Lullaby, my wretched baby;
Dream and smile, and smile and dream!
O, how long the watches seem!
Lullaby, my wretched baby;
Dream and smile, and smile and dream!
“O the sad eyes of my mother!
O my brother, proud and brave!
O the white hair of my father,
Drooping sadly toward the grave!
O my brother, proud and brave!
O the white hair of my father,
Drooping sadly toward the grave!
“O my sister, pure as heaven,
Here thy head in sleep has lain!
Never on this wretched bosom
Canst thou pillow it again!
Here thy head in sleep has lain!
Never on this wretched bosom
Canst thou pillow it again!
430
“Lullaby, my wretched baby;
Live I only for thy sake!
Lullaby, my wretched baby;
Sleep, and dream, and never wake!”
Live I only for thy sake!
Lullaby, my wretched baby;
Sleep, and dream, and never wake!”
| [Poems by Cary in] The poems of Alice and Phoebe Cary with introduction and notes | |