| Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807–1882). Complete Poetical Works. 1893. | | | | Translations | From the French.
The Child Asleep |
| | | | (Verslets à mon premier né)
By Clotilde de Surville |
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SWEET babe! true portrait of thy father’s face, | |
| Sleep on the bosom that thy lips have pressed! | |
| Sleep, little one; and closely, gently place | |
| Thy drowsy eyelid on thy mother’s breast. | |
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| Upon that tender eye, my little friend, | 5 |
| Soft sleep shall come, that cometh not to me! | |
| I watch to see thee, nourish thee, defend; | |
| ’T is sweet to watch for thee, alone for thee! | |
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| His arms fall down; sleep sits upon his brow; | |
| His eye is closed; he sleeps, nor dreams of harm. | 10 |
| Wore not his cheek the apple’s ruddy glow, | |
| Would you not say he slept on Death’s cold arm? | |
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| Awake, my boy! I tremble with affright! | |
| Awake, and chase this fatal thought! Unclose | |
| Thine eye but for one moment on the light! | 15 |
| Even at the price of thine, give me repose! | |
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| Sweet error! he but slept, I breathe again; | |
| Come, gentle dreams, the hour of sleep beguile! | |
| Oh, when shall he, for whom I sigh in vain, | |
| Beside me watch to see thy waking smile? | 20 | | |
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