Before Sleep
Now the creeping nets of sleep
Stretch about and gather nigh,
And the midnight dim and deep
Like a spirit passes by,
Trailing from her crystal dress
Dreams and silent frostiness.
Yet a moment, ere I be
Tangled in the snares of night,
All the dreamy heart of me
To my Lady takes its flight,
To her chamber where she lies,
Wrapt in midnight phantasies.
Over many a glinting street
And the snow capped roofs of men,
Towers that tremble with the beat
Of the midnight bells, and then,
Where my body may not be,
Stands my spirit holily.
Wake not, Lady, wake not soon:
Through the frosty windows fall
Broken glimmers of the moon
Dimly on the floor and wall;
Wake not, Lady, never care,
'Tis my spirit kneeling there.
Let him kneel a moment now,
For the minutes fly apace;
Let him see the sleeping brow,
And the sweetly rounded face:
He shall tell me soon aright
How my lady looks to-night.
How her tresses out and in
Fold in many a curly freak,
Round about the snowy chin
And the softly tinted cheek,
Where no sorrows now can weep,
And the dimples lie asleep.
How her eyelids meet and match,
Gathered in two dusky seams,
Each the little creamy thatch
Of an azure house of dreams,
Or two flowers that love the light
Folded softly up at night.
How her bosom, breathing low,
Stirs the wavy coverlet
With a motion soft and slow:
Oh, my Lady, wake not yet;
There without a thought of guile
Let my spirit dream a while.
Yet, my spirit back to me,
Hurry soon and have a care;
Love will turn to agony,
If you rashly linger there;
Bending low as spirits may,
Touch her lips and come away.
So, fond spirit, beauty-fed,
Turning when your wave is o'er,
Weave a cross above the bed
And a sleep-rune on the floor,
That no evil enter there,
Ugly shapes and dreams beware.
Then, ye looming nets of sleep,
Ye may have me all your own,
For the night is wearing deep
And the ice-winds whisk and moan;
Come with all your drowsy stress,
Dreams and silent frostiness.
poem by Archibald Lampman
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Related quotes
Paint The Sky With Stars
Suddenly before my eyes
Hues of indigo rise
With them how my spirit sighs
Paint the sky with stars
Only night will ever know
Why the heavens never show
All the dreams there are to know
Paint the sky with stars
Who has paced the mightnight sky
So a spirit has to fly
As the heavens seem so far
Now who will paint the midnight star?
Night has brought to those who sleep
Only dreams they cannot keep
I have legends in the deep
Paint the sky with stars
Who has paced the midnight sky
So a spirit has to fly
As the heaven seem so far
Now who will paint the midnight star?
Place a name upon the night
One to set your heart alight
And to make the darkness bright
Paint the sky with stars
song performed by by Enya
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Lullaby
Sleep, pretty lady, the night is enfolding you;
Drift, and so lightly, on crystalline streams.
Wrapped in its perfumes, the darkness is holding you;
Starlight bespangles the way of your dreams.
Chorus the nightingales, wistfully amorous;
Blessedly quiet, the blare of the day.
All the sweet hours may your visions be glamorous-
Sleep, pretty lady, as long as you may.
Sleep, pretty lady, the night shall be still for you;
Silvered and silent, it watches you rest.
Each little breeze, in its eagerness, will for you
Murmur the melodies ancient and blest.
So in the midnight does happiness capture us;
Morning is dim with another day's tears.
Give yourself sweetly to images rapturous-
Sleep, pretty lady, a couple of years.
Sleep, pretty lady, the world awaits day with you;
Girlish and golden, the slender young moon.
Grant the fond darkness its mystical way with you;
Morning returns to us ever too soon.
Roses unfold, in their loveliness, all for you;
Blossom the lilies for hope of your glance.
When you're awake, all the men go and fall for you-
Sleep, pretty lady, and give me a chance.
poem by Dorothy Parker
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
To My Lady
When the tender hand of Night
Like a rose-leaf falls
Softly on your starry eyes;
When the Sleep-God calls,
And the gate of dreams is wide,
Wide the painted halls,
Dream the dream I send to you
Through your spirit’s walls!
Dream a lowly lover came,
Lady fair to woo;
Dream that I the lover was,
And the lady—you;
Dream your answer was a kiss,
Warm as summer dew—
Waking, in the rosy dawn,
Let the dream be true!
poem by Victor James Daley
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
I Want To Wake Up
I heard what you said, and I can tell you its true
I heard youve said that I am crazy about you
Turn in my sleep, the bad dream is over
Think of you and shall I ever recover?
Now, I want to wake up
How I want to wake up
I stood at the kitchen-sink, my radio played
Songs like tainted love and love is strange
As I listened and the words hit my ears
I cried sudden tears
Now, I want to wake up
How I want to wake up
Wake up
(wake up, wake up, wake up, wake up
Wake up, wake up, wake up, wake up)
(its mad, its mad, its mad)
Its mad, to be in love with someone else
When youre in love with him, shes in love with me
But you know as well as I do
I can never think of anyone but you
(all my life,
All my life
I want to wake up)
Play with fire, play with guns
Its easy to impress someone
Turning in my sleep, you call me a fool
To fall in love, is it so uncool?
Now, I want to wake up
How I want to wake up
Now, I want to wake up
Wake up
(wake up, wake up
Wake up, wake up - ooh ooh ooh oh oh
Wake up, wake up - ooh ooh ooh oh oh
Wake up, wake up - ooh ooh ooh oh oh
Wake up, wake up - ooh ooh ooh oh oh
Wake up, wake up - ooh ooh ooh oh oh
Wake up, wake up - ooh ooh ooh oh oh
Wake up, wake up - ooh ooh ooh oh oh
Wake up, wake up - ooh ooh ooh oh oh
Ooh ooh ooh oh oh
Ooh ooh ooh oh oh
Ooh ooh ooh oh oh
Ooh ooh ooh oh oh
Ooh ooh ooh oh oh
Ooh ooh ooh oh oh
Ooh ooh ooh oh oh
Ooh ooh ooh oh oh)
I, I want to wake up
(ooh ooh ooh oh oh, ooh ooh ooh oh oh, ooh ooh ooh oh oh, ooh ooh ooh oh oh)
I, I want to wake up
(ooh ooh ooh oh oh, ooh ooh ooh oh oh, ooh ooh ooh oh oh, ooh ooh ooh oh oh)
I, I want to wake up
(ooh ooh ooh oh oh, ooh ooh ooh oh oh, ooh ooh ooh oh oh, ooh ooh ooh oh oh)
I, I want to wake up, with you, oh
(ooh ooh ooh oh oh, ooh ooh ooh oh oh, ooh ooh ooh oh oh, ooh ooh ooh oh oh - oooh)
I, I want to wake up, with you, oh, ooh
(ooh ooh ooh oh oh, ooh ooh ooh oh oh, ooh ooh ooh oh oh, ooh ooh ooh oh oh)
(ooh ooh ooh oh oh) I want to wake up, wake up, wake up
(ooh ooh ooh oh oh, ooh ooh ooh oh oh, ooh ooh ooh oh oh)
I, I want to wake up, wake up, wake up with you
(ooh ooh ooh oh oh, ooh ooh ooh oh oh, ooh ooh ooh oh oh, ooh ooh ooh oh oh)
(ooh ooh ooh oh oh) I want to wake up, ooh, ooh
(ooh ooh ooh oh oh, ooh ooh ooh oh oh, ooh ooh ooh oh oh)
Ooh
song performed by by Pet Shop Boys
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Then I Wake Up
i smell the fragrance
of your hair
feel your fingers and your breath
on my skin
when we're here alone like this
a crazy world makes perfect sense
i hear you whisperin' my name
your kisses leave the sweetest taste
on my lips
when you say 'i love you too'
soft and tender like you do
i know all m dreams have come true
(chorus)
then i wake up
on the floor beside our bed
where i sleep
ever since the night
you left me alone
in this old house
days go by
but im still in love
with who we used to be
now you're just a precious memory
i can count on every night to hold me tight
then i wake up
i lay here while the truth sinks in
im still alone you're still not here
and we're still through
i remember our last night
every word right up to goodbye
slowly i drift off again
im saing words i wish id said
that night, to you
and you dont drive off in your car
and i dont have a broken heart
and you cant wait to be in my arms
(repeat chorus)
im still in love
with who we used to be
now you're just
a precious memory
i can count on every night
to hold me tight
then i wake up
on the floor
beside our bed
where i sleep
ever since the night
you left me alone
in this old house
days go by
but im still in love
song performed by by Trace Adkins
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Then I Wake Up
i smell the fragrance
of your hair
feel your fingers and your breath
on my skin
when we're here alone like this
a crazy world makes perfect sense
i hear you whisperin' my name
your kisses leave the sweetest taste
on my lips
when you say 'i love you too'
soft and tender like you do
i know all m dreams have come true
(chorus)
then i wake up
on the floor beside our bed
where i sleep
ever since the night
you left me alone
in this old house
days go by
but im still in love
with who we used to be
now you're just a precious memory
i can count on every night to hold me tight
then i wake up
i lay here while the truth sinks in
im still alone you're still not here
and we're still through
i remember our last night
every word right up to goodbye
slowly i drift off again
im saing words i wish id said
that night, to you
and you dont drive off in your car
and i dont have a broken heart
and you cant wait to be in my arms
(repeat chorus)
im still in love
with who we used to be
now you're just
a precious memory
i can count on every night
to hold me tight
then i wake up
on the floor
beside our bed
where i sleep
ever since the night
you left me alone
in this old house
days go by
but im still in love
song performed by by Trace Adkins
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
He Speaks To Me At Midnight
When all is still, the potion spills
Soft shadows on the grave
In windswept dreams, where silence screams
Of passion that I crave
Away in flight, on wings of night
Held captive in his snare
He stokes the fires…of my desire
And chains me to his lair
Each night I bend, to whisperings winds
They haunt my midnight skies
He softly sings, into my dreams
Such wicked lullabies
I hold on tight, to his delight
I'm a puppet on a string
He whispers flame, upon my name
In a raging midnight fling
His purchase price, cold as ice
Leaves me fraught…alone
Left searching in the waning night
Wondering where he's gone
Like a kiss of death, my heart bereft
My soul, an empty shell
I face the day, in cold decay
And walk through living hell
With secrets sealed behind a shield
Hard frozen on my lips
I wake to find, my peace of mind
Trapped in a sinking ship
The sky above, a darkened glove
That paints my spirit gray
My heart bemoans, I'm cold as stone
Yearning for the close of day
With evenings flight, into the night
I come alive, restored
As whispers stream into my dreams
To bring him back once more
It's only when, the whispering wind
Breaths warm across my shade
To turn my blight into delight
On a windswept serenade
My soul's replete on twisted sheets
So long the night remains
Until the yawn of coming dawn
Binds tight my heart in chains
As morning creeps into my sleep
Once more I dread the day
When reality shines, between the blinds
To sweep my love away
poem by Leria Hawkins
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Summer Lady
Loving you this way
Has made my tired heart sing
Lady, you touch my soul
With all the love you bring
Being so close to you
Is where I want to be
Dont turn your smile away
Dont break my fantasy
Summer lady
You look good to me
Summer lady
Youre my fantasy
Seeing your presence near
Every time I wake
My life would be incomplete
If I didnt have you there
Summer lady
You look good to me
Summer lady
Youre my fantasy
Bridge
Solo
Laying here in my room
With all my worldly things
Dont make up for all my dreams
Of you in my fantasy
Summer lady
You look good to me
Summer lady
Youre my fantasy
Summer lady
You look good to me
Summer lady
Youre my fantasy
Please dont take my dreams away
Oh, summer lady
song performed by by Santana
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
She's My Baby
Well I'm so blue
I'm thinking about you
I'm feeling so blue
I'm feeling so sad
I just don't understand
I'm feeling so sad
And in the midnight
I don t turn off the light
Until the daylight
Well I toss and I turn
And my heart it still burns
'Til I see her again
She's my lady, she's my baby, she's my lady
She's my baby, she's my lady, she's my haby
She's my lady, now, now, now, now
In the morning I wake
To go get food on my plate
But I just can't eat
And when I go in the cafe
To sit down at my seat
I don't have egg on my face
When it stops and it starts
It just tears me apart
Like a pain in my heart
But it's been misunderstood
Somebody's breaking the rules
And I'm nobody's fool
Well, well, well
She's my lady, she's my baby, she's my lady
She's my baby, she's my lady, she's my baby
She's my lady, now, now, now, now
When it's so high
I can reach for the sky
But when it's so low
I got nowhere to go
When it goes wrong
I just don't belong
When it goes right
It's clean out of sight
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah
I'm feeling so glad
I'm on top of the world
When I see you again
Well it's so true
I been thinking about you
Baby you're my flame
When it goes down
Down on the ground
When it goes down
But when it goes up
It just fills up my cup
When it goes up
Well, well, well
She's my lady, she's my baby, she's my lady
She's my baby, she's my lady, she's my baby
She's my lady, now, now, now, now
song performed by by Van Morrison
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Lady Of The Night
They call her the lady of the night
Shes a woman of the world
And easy-living girl with love for sale
Thats what they call her the lady of the night
No one seems to know her name
And even less about the place
From where she came
Every evening when the night is close at hand
Youll find the lady on the rue davignon
In a half lit hotel doorway the lady advertises warmly
Its just a job but shell do the best she can
Dont try to change this lady of the night
Shes a lot like you and me
And less than what she seems to be
(she is the lady of the night)
And easy-living girl
(she is the lady of the night)
Shes a woman of the world
(she is the lady of the night)
With lots of loving for sale
(she is the lady of the night)
Lady lady of the night
Round here they call her the lady of the night
In a perfume hotel room
Shadows dance upon the wall and fate at dawn
Shes no beginner this lady of the night
Never try that funny stuff
cause lady can be tough
Be warned!
(she is the lady of the night)
Shes a lot like you and me
(she is the lady of the night)
And never just what she seems
(she is the lady of the night)
No one seems to know her name
(she is the lady of the night)
Or the place from where she came
song performed by by Donna Summer
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Monster Presiding Dreams, Not My Wake. There I Drove Him With A Stake
I lay there wrapped
in very bushy arms
Whispers ‘sleep now
I am here’
With the warmth
washing of this love,
I drift to a place
that is unknown
I see at play our children
Flowers fit for
a wedding day
perhaps I am skinny
having wine with a friend
flying a magic carpet
or riding an elephant
Sleep should be
a place of contentment
The mind at rest
body free and light
spirit drifts to where
all is good and right
In a flash that face
could appear
The one that harms
causes terror
That it that deserves
no mention
The one that my
tension originated
with the vileness
of his being
In those moments
did so maltreat
I may wake from
dead sleep on my feet
Took what to only
belonged to me
my blissful slumber
now without sweet dreams
song of my heart in twain
never to be joined
My heart hostage
and injuriously awake
Peaceful eyes waiting
to soon be as afore
Broken, wondering if
I will achieve sleep
the way others win awards
If in my sleep
that piece of dung
appears
slumber is deferred
to my fears
In that flash
I feel a racing heart,
viscous breath,
shuddering body
stiffens me wide-awake.
I touch the headboard,
the wall,
my pillow
to feel where I am.
I say “I am in my house,
he is not in my bed,
he has never been here.
I am safe and
without dread”
It is then I realize
the wrapping arms
of the most lovely man
are ever there
I settle consciously
to be calm
without dread
left to reconcile
how long- a season,
how many moons
will slumber
escape my being
For as I wake
the monster
does not preside
In His Dark heart
I drove a stake
With daylight
I push it aside
Though sleep
will come
that very
next night! ?
I would like
to slumber
simple sleep
without dreams
or of beauty, lifes frills
To be as I was before
Happy to sleep
with each moon
Peaceful heart
without disparity
I wish sleep
to meet me
with pleasured dreams
poem by Sandra Dodd
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
I Arise from Dreams of Thee
I arise from dreams of thee
In the first sweet sleep of night,
When the winds are breathing low,
And the stars are shining bright
I arise from dreams of thee,
And a spirit in my feet
Has led me -- who knows how? --
To thy chamber-window, sweet!
The wandering airs they faint
On the dark, the silent stream, --
The champak odors fall
Like sweet thoughts in a dream,
The nightingale's complaint,
It dies upon her heart,
As I must die on thine,
O, beloved as thou art!
O, lift me from the grass!
I die, I faint, I fall!
Let thy love in kisses rain
On my lips and eyelids pale,
My cheek is cold and white, alas!
My Heart beats loud and fast
Oh! press it close to thine again,
Where it will break at last!
poem by Percy Bysshe Shelley
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Haunting
Sleep is an enemy these days
I sleep, I wake, I sleep, I wake
I look outside the window at the night
Sometimes I have such dreams
as vivid as the day, at other times
the dreams, they stay away.
It was a night of vivid dreams
I heard a noise downstairs, someone shuffling, rustling
I called, "Is someone there? "
Footsteps coming closer, passing by my door.
I heard the bathroom being used
and I called out some more.
The bedroom door creaked open,
she moved across the room, her face was so familiar
but I screamed and off she flew.
The face I saw was tired miserable and worn.
She seemed to be quite harmless
but still I was concerned
and later on that morning
as the sun rose in the sky, I realised who she was
and I breathed a heavy sigh.
The lady in my bedroom
was someone I knew well. It was me you see dear reader,
it seems I haunt myself
poem by Ruth Walters
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Lady Darbanville
My lady darbanville, why do you sleep so still?
Ill wake you tomorrow
And you will be my fill, yes, you will be my fill.
My lady darbanville why does it grieve me so?
But your heart seems so silent.
Why do you breathe so low, why do you breathe so low,
My lady darbanville why do you sleep so still?
Ill wake you tomorrow
And you will be my fill, yes, you will be my fill.
My lady darbanville, you look so cold tonight.
Your lips feel like winter,
Your skin has turned to white, your skin has turned to white.
My lady darbanville, why do you sleep so still?
Ill wake you tomorrow
And you will be my fill, yes, you will be my fill.
La la la la la....
My lady darbanville why does it grieve me so?
But your heart seems so silent.
Why do you breathe so low, why do you breathe so low,
I loved you my lady, though in your grave you lie,
Ill always be with you
This rose will never die, this rose will never die.
I loved you my lady, though in your grave you lie,
Ill always be with you
This rose will never die, this rose will never die.
song performed by by Cat Stevens
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Lady D'Arbanville (live)
My Lady d'Arbanville, why do you sleep so still?
I'll wake you tomorrow
and you will be my fill, yes, you will be my fill.
My Lady d'Arbanville why does it grieve me so?
But your heart seems so silent.
Why do you breathe so low, why do you breathe so low,
My Lady d'Arbanville why do you sleep so still?
I'll wake you tomorrow
and you will be my fill, yes, you will be my fill.
My Lady d'Arbanville, you look so cold tonight.
Your lips feel like winter,
your skin has turned to white, your skin has turned to white.
My Lady d'Arbanville, why do you sleep so still?
I'll wake you tomorrow
and you will be my fill, yes, you will be my fill.
La la la la la....
My Lady d'Arbanville why does it grieve me so?
But your heart seems so silent.
Why do you breathe so low, why do you breathe so low,
I loved you my lady, though in your grave you lie,
I'll always be with you
This rose will never die, this rose will never die.
I loved you my lady, though in your grave you lie,
I'll always be with you
This rose will never die, this rose will never die.
song performed by by Cat Stevens
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Afraid To Sleep
We slept in this room together but now youre gone
And its so quiet I turn the tv on
We lived in this room together we painted the walls
Now time doesnt stand still
It crawls
And Im afraid to sleep
Cuz if I do I dream of you
And dreams are always deep
On the pillow where I weep
I never realized how much I was in love with you
Until you started sleeping with someone new
Last night I dreamed again and you were there
You kissed my face you touched my hair
And Im afraid to sleep
Cuz if I do I dream of you
And dreams are always deep
On the pillow where I weep
Lying alone in the darkness with a memory in my head
Theres a big hole where my heart is
And a lonely feeling rollin round my bed
And Im afraid to sleep
Cuz if I do I dream of you
Im afraid to sleep
Cuz if I do I dream of you
And dreams are always deep
On the pillow where I weep
On the pillow where I weep
Im afraid to sleep.
song performed by by Dido
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
In Dreams
Roy orbison
A candy-colored clown they call the sandman
Tiptoes to my room every night
Just to sprinkle stardust and to whisper
Go to sleep. everything is all right.
I close my eyes, then I drift away
Into the magic night. I softly say
A silent prayerlike dreamers do.
Then I fall asleep to dream my dreams of you.
In dreams I walk with you. in dreams I talk to you.
In dreams youre mine. all of the time were together
In dreams, in dreams.
But just before the dawn, I awake and find you gone.
I cant help it, I cant help it, if I cry.
I remember that you said goodbye.
Its too bad that all these things, can only happen in my dreams
Only in dreams in beautiful dreams.
song performed by by Roy Orbison
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
The Indian Serenade
I arise from dreams of thee
In the first sweet sleep of night,
When the winds are breathing low,
And the stars are shining bright
I arise from dreams of thee,
And a spirit in my feet
Hath led me--who knows how?
To thy chamber window, Sweet!
The wandering airs they faint
On the dark, the silent stream--
The champak odors fail
Like sweet thoughts in a dream;
The nightingale's complaint,
It dies upon her heart;
As I must on thine,
Oh, beloved as thou art!
O lift me from the grass!
die! I faint! I fail!
Let thy love in kisses rain
On my lips and eyelids pale.
My cheek is cold and white, alas!
My heart beats loud and fast;--
Oh! press it to thine own again,
Where it will break at last.
poem by Percy Bysshe Shelley
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Serenade from “The Spanish Student”
STARS of the summer night!
Far in yon azure deeps,
Hide, hide your golden light!
She sleeps!
My lady sleeps!
Sleeps!
Moon of the summer night!
Far down yon western steeps,
Sink, sink in silver light!
She sleeps!
My lady sleeps!
Sleeps!
Wind of the summer night!
Where yonder woodbine creeps,
Fold, fold thy pinions light!
She sleeps!
My lady sleeps!
Sleeps!
Dreams of the summer night!
Tell her, her lover keeps
Watch! while in slumbers light
She sleeps!
My lady sleeps!
Sleeps!
poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
The Wind In The Wires
Wake lady wake
The hills are in flood.
And the road we must take
Is a river of blood.
And the wind in the wires
And your heart like a cup
And Im down in the war
And youve got to get up
For mercys sake
Wake lady wake
Dress lady dress
Put on your (jacket/skull-cap) and boots.
For the (thief/priest) has confessed
And the chase is afoot.
And the hounds are behind
Gunmen around every tree
And if its all in our minds
Well, where else would it be
I suggest
You dress lady, dress
This is the day, this is the day this is,
This is the day, this is, this is the day the day
This is the day
This is the day, this is the day this is,
This is the day the day, this is the day the day
This is the day
Our kingdom will crash
Like a sad piece of trash
(swim lady swim
The whole river across
Though our chances are slim
And were totally lost!
/
Swim lady swim
Lady, dont refuse
Though our chances are slim
And were totally confused!)
There are clues to be found
Oh, and Id ask my peers
But theyre all dumbing down
Until this bad weather clears
Were out on a limb
So swim lady, swim
This is the day, this is the day the day
This is the day, this is the day
This is the day
This is the day, this is the day the day
This is the day, this is the day the day
This is the day
The kingdom will crash
Like an old piece of trash
song performed by by Waterboys
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!