Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, A CRADLE SONG, by WILLIAM BLAKE


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

A CRADLE SONG, by             Poem Explanation     Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: Sleep! Sleep! Beauty bright
Last Line: Heaven and earth of peace beguiles.
Subject(s): Bible; Children; Mythology; Childhood


Sleep! sleep! beauty bright,
Dreaming o'er the joys of night;
Sleep! sleep! in thy sleep
Little sorrows sit and weep.

Sweet babe, in thy face
Soft desires I can trace,
Secret joys and secret smiles,
Little pretty infant wiles.

As thy softest limbs I feel,
Smiles as of the morning steal
O'er thy cheek, and o'er thy breast
Where thy little heart does rest.

O! the cunning wiles that creep
In thy little heart asleep.
When thy little heart does wake
Then the dreadful lightnings break,

From thy cheek and from thy eye,
O'er the youthful harvests nigh.
Infant wiles and infant smiles
Heaven and Earth of peace beguiles.





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