The Home Book of Verse Volume I Part 20

Lullaby! O lullaby!

Baby, hush that little cry!

Light is dying, Bats are flying, Bees to-day with work have done; So, till comes the morrow's sun, Let sleep kiss those bright eyes dry!

Lullaby! O lullaby.

Lullaby! O lullaby!

Hushed are all things far and nigh; Flowers are closing, Birds reposing, All sweet things with life are done.

Sweet, till dawns the morning sun, Sleep, then kiss those blue eyes dry.

Lullaby! O lullaby!

William c.o.x Bennett [1820-1895]

LULLABY From "The Princess"

Sweet and low, sweet and low, Wind of the western sea, Low, low, breathe and blow, Wind of the western sea!

Over the rolling waters go, Come from the dying moon, and blow, Blow him again to me; While my little one, while my pretty one, sleeps.

Sleep and rest, sleep and rest, Father will come to thee soon; Rest, rest, on mother's breast, Father will come to thee soon; Father will come to his babe in the nest, Silver sails all out of the west Under the silver moon: Sleep, my little one, sleep, my pretty one, sleep.

Alfred Tennyson [1809-1892]

THE COTTAGER TO HER INFANT

The days are cold, the nights are long, The north-wind sings a doleful song; Then hush again upon my breast; All merry things are now at rest, Save thee, my pretty love!

The kitten sleeps upon the hearth; The crickets long have ceased their mirth; There's nothing stirring in the house Save one wee, hungry, nibbling mouse; Then why so busy thou?

Nay! start not at that sparkling light; 'Tis but the moon that s.h.i.+nes so bright On the window-pane bedropped with rain: There, little darling! sleep again, And wake when it is day!

Dorothy Wordsworth [1804-1847]

TROT, TROT!

Every evening Baby goes Trot, trot, to town, Across the river, through the fields, Up hill and down.

Trot, trot, the Baby goes, Up hill and down, To buy a feather for her hat, To buy a woolen gown.

Trot, trot, the Baby goes; The birds fly down, alack!

"You cannot have our feathers, dear,"

They say, "so please trot back."

Trot, trot, the Baby goes; The lambs come bleating near.

"You cannot have our wool," they say, "But we are sorry, dear."

Trot, trot, the Baby goes, Trot, trot, to town; She buys a red rose for her hat, She buys a cotton gown.

Mary F. b.u.t.ts [1836-1902]

HOLY INNOCENTS

Sleep, little Baby, sleep; The holy Angels love thee, And guard thy bed, and keep A blessed watch above thee.

No spirit can come near Nor evil beast to harm thee: Sleep, Sweet, devoid of fear Where nothing need alarm thee.

The Love which doth not sleep, The eternal Arms surround thee: The Shepherd of the sheep In perfect love hath found thee.

Sleep through the holy night, Christ-kept from snare and sorrow, Until thou wake to light And love and warmth to-morrow.

Christina Georgina Rossetti [1830-1894]

LULLABY From "The Mistress of the Manse"

Rockaby, lullaby, bees in the clover!

Crooning so drowsily, crying so low, Rockaby, lullaby, dear little rover!

Down into wonderland, Down to the under-land Go, oh go!

Down into wonderland go!

Rockaby, lullaby, rain on the clover!

(Tears on the eyelids that waver and weep!) Rockaby, lullaby--bending it over!

Down on the mother-world, Down on the other world, Sleep, oh sleep!

Down on the mother-world sleep!

Rockaby, lullaby, dew on the clover!

Dew on the eyes that will sparkle at dawn!

Rockaby, lullaby, dear little rover!

Into the stilly world, Into the lily world, Gone! oh gone!

Into the lily world gone!

Josiah Gilbert Holland [1819-1881]

CRADLE SONG From "Bitter-Sweet"

What is the little one thinking about?

Very wonderful things, no doubt!