Sleep, Silence’ Child
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 thingsLie slumb’ring, with forgetfulness possessed,And yet o’er me to spread thy drowsy wingsThou sparest, alas! who cannot be thy guest.Since I am thine, O come, but with that faceTo inward light which thou art wont to show;With feigned solace ease a true-felt woe;Or if, deaf god, thou do deny that grace,Come as thou wilt, and what thou wilt bequeath:I long to kiss the image of my death.