by Rainer Maria Rilke (1875 - 1926)
Translation by Randall Jarrell (1914 - 1965)

A Variation on 'To Say To Go To Sleep'
 (Sung text for setting by L. Liebermann)
 Matches base text
Language: English  after the Unknown Language 
If I could, I would sing you to sleep.
I would give you my hand to keep
In yours till you fell asleep,
And take it away then, slowly.
I would sit by you and be.

In the world the dark would be deep.
I would watch. And at last I would sleep.

But if rain should star the stream
Of your sleep, I would whisper: “See
You are asleep”; and slowly,
Your breath would change in your dream
Till, ages and ages deep
In the dark, you would say to me:
“I love you.”
I love you,
But I am here always. Sleep now. Sleep.

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Researcher for this page: Eric Saroian

This text was added to the website: 2022-05-16
Line count: 16
Word count: 106