1.
“Ye have forgotten the exhortation”—
Come blessed sleep, most full, most perfect, come;
Come sleep, if so I may forget the whole;
Forget my body and forget my soul,
Forget how long life is and troublesome.
Come happy sleep to soothe my heart or numb,
Arrest my weary spirit or control;
Till light be dark to me from pole to pole,
And winds and echoes and low songs be dumb.
Come sleep and lap me into perfect calm,
Lap me from all the world and weariness:
Come secret sleep that hidest us from harm,
Safe sheltered in a hidden cool recess:
Come heavy dreamless sleep, and close and press
Upon mine eyes thy fingers dropping balm.
