SOME OF THE POETRY OF SLUMBER

COLLECTED BY

LEOLYN LOUISE EVERETT

NEW YORK

THE WATKINS COMPANY

1910

Three hundred and twenty copies of this book have been printed on hand-made Van Gelder paper, for The Watkins Company, at the press of Styles & Cash New York, and type distributed.

This book is No.

To

ETHEL DU FRE HOUSTON

who has brought the joy and beauty of dream into so many lives

SLEEP-BOOK

    I.

    Peace, peace, thou over-anxious, foolish heart,
    Rest, ever-seeking soul, calm, mad desires,
    Quiet, wild dreams—­this is the time of sleep. 
    Hold her more close than life itself.  Forget
    All the excitements of the day, forget
    All problems and discomforts.  Let the night
    Take you unto herself, her blessed self. 
    Peace, peace, thou over-anxious, foolish heart,
    Rest, ever-seeking soul, calm, mad desires,
    Quiet, wild dreams—­this is the time of sleep.

    Leolyn Louise Everett.

    II.

    Sleep, softly-breathing god! his downy wing
    Was fluttering now.

    Samuel T. Coleridge.

    I lay in slumber’s shadowy vale

    Samuel T. Coleridge.

    III.

    And more to lulle him in his slumber soft,
    A trickling stream from high rock tumbling down
    And ever-drizzling raine upon the loft,
    Mixt with a murmuring winde, much like the sowne
    Of swarming Bees, did cast him in a swowne. 
    No other noyse, nor peoples troublous cryes,
    As still are wont t’annoy the walled towne,
    Might there be heard; but carelesse Quiet lyes
    Wrapt in eternal! silence farre from enimyes.

    Edmund Spenser.

    IV.

The waters murmuring, With such cohort as they keep Entice the dewy-feathered Sleep. Il Penseroso.

    John Milton.

    V.
    Ye spotted snakes with double tongue,
     Thorny hedgehogs, be not seen;
    Newts and blind-worms do no wrong,
     Come not near our fairy queen. 
      Philomel, with melody
      Sing in our sweet lullaby,
    Lulla, lulla, lullaby, lulla, lulla, lullaby;
      Never harm. 
      Nor spell nor charm,
    Come our lovely lady nigh
    So goodnight with lullaby.

    William Shakespeare.

    VI.

    Sleep, Silence child, sweet father of soft rest,
    Prince, whose approach peace to all mortals brings,
    Indifferent host to shepherds and to kings,
    Sole comforter of minds with grief oppressed;
    Lo, by thy charming rod all breathing things
    Lie slumbering, with forgetfulness possessed.