A Cradle Song

"A Cradle-Song," written in 1911 and published in 1912, sets text of William Blake from 1793.

Date: 1912Composer: John Alden CarpenterText: William Blake

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Text

A Cradle-Song
by William Blake

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.

Sheet Music

Songs of John Alden Carpenter (Medium Voice)

Composer(s): John Alden Carpenter

Voice Type: Medium

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