Cradle Songs

(To a tune of Blakes) I.     Baby, baby bright,     Sleep can steal from sight     Little of your light:     Soft as fire in dew,     Still the life in you     Lights your slumber through.     Four white eyelids keep     Fast the seal of sleep     Deep as love is deep:     Yet, though closed it lies,     Love behind them spies     Heaven in two blue eyes. II.     Baby, baby dear,     Earth and heaven are near     Now, for heaven is here.     Heaven is every place     Where your flower-sweet face     Fills our eyes with grace.     Till your own eyes deign     Earth a glance again,     Earth and heaven are twain.     Now your sleep is done,     Shine, and show the sun     Earth and heaven are one. III.     Baby, baby sweet,     Loves own lips are meet     Scarce to kiss your feet.     Hardly loves own ear,     When your laugh crows clear,     Quite deserves to hear.     Hardly loves own wile,     Though it please awhile,     Quite deserves your smile.     Baby full of grace,     Bless us yet a space:     Sleep will come apace. IV.     Baby, baby true,     Man, whateer he do,     May deceive not you.     Smiles whose love is guile,     Worn a flattering while,     Win from you no smile.     One, the smile alone     Out of loves heart grown,     Ever wins your own.     Man, a dunce uncouth,     Errs in age and youth:     Babies know the truth. V.     Baby, baby fair,     Love is fain to dare     Bless your haughtiest air.     Baby blithe and bland,     Reach but forth a hand     None may dare withstand;     Love, though wellnigh cowed,     Yet would praise aloud     Pride so sweetly proud.     No! the fitting word     Even from breeze or bird     Never yet was heard. VI.     Baby, baby kind,     Though no word we find,     Bear us yet in mind.     Half a little hour,     Baby bright in bower,     Keep this thought aflower     Love it is, I see,     Here with heart and knee     Bows and worships me.     What can baby do,     Then, for love so true?     Let it worship you. VII.     Baby, baby wise,     Loves divine surmise     Lights your constant eyes.     Day and night and day     One mute word would they,     As the soul saith, say.     Trouble comes and goes;     Wonder ebbs and flows;     Love remains and glows.     As the fledgeling dove     Feels the breast above,     So your heart feels love.