Rock Me to Sleep

9Backward, flow backward, O tide of the years!

10I am so weary of toil and of tears—

11Toil without recompense, tears all in vain—

12Take them and give me my childhood again!

13I have grown weary of dust and decay,

14Weary of flinging my soul-wealth away,

15Weary of sowing for others to reap—

16Rock me to sleep, mother—rock me to sleep!

17Tired of the hollow, the base, the untrue,

18Mother, O mother, my heart calls for you!

19Many a summer the grass has grown green,

20Blossomed and faded, our faces between;

21Yet, with strong yearning and passionate pain,

22Long I to-night for your presence again;

23Come from the silence so long and so deep—

24Rock me to sleep, mother—rock me to sleep!

25Over my heart in the days that are flown,

26No love like mother-love ever has shone;

27No other worship abides and endures,

28Faithful, unselfish, and patient, like yours;

29None like a mother can charm away pain

30From the sick soul and the world-weary brain;

31Slumber’s soft calms o’er my heavy lids creep—

32Rock me to sleep, mother—rock me to sleep!

33Come, let your brown hair, just lighted with gold,

34Fall on your shoulders again as of old;

35Let it drop over my forehead to-night,

36Shading my faint eyes away from the light;

37For with its sunny-edged shadows once more,

38Haply will throng the sweet visions of yore;

39Lovingly, softly, its bright billows sweep—

40Rock me to sleep, mother—rock me to sleep!

41Mother, dear mother, the years have been long

42Since I last listened your lullaby song;

43Sing, then, and unto my soul it shall seem

44Womanhood’s years have been only a dream.

45Clasped to your heart in a loving embrace,

46With your light lashes just sweeping my face,

47Never hereafter to wake or to weep—

48Rock me to sleep, mother—rock me to sleep!