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The Sleepers

Topics: classic

The tall carnations down the garden walks     Bowed on their stalks.     Said Jock-a-dreams to John-a-nods,     "What are the odds     That we shall wake up here within the sun,     When time is done,     And pick up all the treasures one by one     Our hands let fall in sleep?" "You have begun     To mutter in your dreams,"     Said John-a-nods to Jock-a-dreams,     And they both slept again.     The tall carnations in the sunset glow     Burned row on row.     Said John-a-nods to Jock-a-dreams,     "To me it seems     A thousand years since last you stirred and spoke,     And I awoke.     Was that the wind then trying to provoke     His brothers in their blessed sleep?" "They choke,     Who mutter in their nods,"     Said Jock-a-dreams to John-a-nods.     And they both slept again.     The tall carnations only heard a sigh     Of dusk go by.

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"The tall carnations down the garden walks..."

Bliss Carman (William)'s contribution to classic is further solidified by the brilliance found in "The Sleepers"... ### Why We Love This Line At Linespedia, we believe that poetry is the ultimate sanctuary for the soul...

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"The Text is taken from Percy's Reliques (1765), vol. i. p. 71, 'given from two MS. copies, transmitted from Scotland.' Herd had a very similar bal"

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"A stone jug and a pewter mug,     And a table set ..."

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