An Empty Crib
Beside a crib that holds a baby’s stocking,
A tattered picture book, a broken toy,
A sleeping mother dreams that she is rocking
Her fair-haired cherub boy.
Upon the cradle’s side her light touch keeping,
She gently rocks it, crooning low a song;
And smiles to think her little one is sleeping,
So peacefully and long.
Step light, breathe low, break not her rapturous dreaming,
Wake not the sleeper from her trance of joy,
For never more save in sweet slumber-seeming
Will she watch o’er her little boy.
God pity her when from her dream Elysian
She wakes to see the empty crib, and weep;
Knowing her joy was but a sleeper’s vision,
Tread lightly – let her sleep.
poem by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
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Related quotes
Baby Crib
A baby soon will sleep in that crib
He will have lots of dreams
Soon you will have those sweet dreams baby
And in your dreams you will be able to count the ships baby
While the angels come down from haven and watch out for you baby
That crib will be the place where he will go to sleep
That crib belongs to him
That crib is an old one
It is one of a kind
You don’t see it anymore
That crib will be nice and warm for him to sleep in the winter nights
And cool in the summer for him to sleep
poem by Aldo Kraas
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The Sleeper
Let Sleeper do as Sleeper does
And Dreamer men take flight in haze;
For while one wastes their precious time,
The other makes most of their days.
Let Sleeper do as Sleeper does
While Romantic laughs and cries;
For the first shall miss their life,
The other feel until he dies.
Let Sleeper do as Sleeper does
For Sleeper still can dream;
Dream of a more romantic time,
Be three, but yet one seem.
poem by Liam O'Brien
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I Fellowed Sleep
I fellowed sleep who kissed me in the brain,
Let fall the tear of time; the sleeper's eye,
Shifting to light, turned on me like a moon.
So, planning-heeled, I flew along my man
And dropped on dreaming and the upward sky.
I fled the earth and, naked, climbed the weather,
Reaching a second ground far from the stars;
And there we wept I and a ghostly other,
My mothers-eyed, upon the tops of trees;
I fled that ground as lightly as a feather.
'My fathers' globe knocks on its nave and sings.'
'This that we tread was, too, your father's land.'
'But this we tread bears the angelic gangs
Sweet are their fathered faces in their wings.'
'These are but dreaming men. Breathe, and they fade.'
Faded my elbow ghost, the mothers-eyed,
As, blowing on the angels, I was lost
On that cloud coast to each grave-grabbing shade;
I blew the dreaming fellows to their bed
Where still they sleep unknowing of their ghost.
Then all the matter of the living air
Raised up a voice, and, climbing on the words,
I spelt my vision with a hand and hair,
How light the sleeping on this soily star,
How deep the waking in the worlded clouds.
There grows the hours' ladder to the sun,
Each rung a love or losing to the last,
The inches monkeyed by the blood of man.
And old, mad man still climbing in his ghost,
My fathers' ghost is climbing in the rain.
poem by Dylan Thomas
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Rocking the Baby
I hear her rocking the baby--
Her room is next to mine--
And I fancy I feel the dimpled arms
That round her neck entwine,
As she rocks and rocks the baby,
In the room just next to mine.
I hear her rocking the baby
Each day when the twilight comes,
And I know there's a world of blessing and love
In the 'baby by' she hums.
I can see the restless fingers
Playing with 'mamma's rings,'
The sweet little smiling, pouting mouth
That to hers in kissing clings,
As she rocks and sings to the baby,
And dreams as she rocks and sings.
I hear her rocking the baby,
Slower and slower now,
And I hear she is leaving her good-night kiss
On its eyes, and cheek and brow.
From her rocking, rocking, rocking,
I wonder would she start
Could she know, through the wall between us,
She is rocking on a heart?
While my empty arms are aching
For a form they may not press,--
And my empty heart is breaking
In its desolate loneliness.
I list to the rocking, rocking,
In the room just next to mine,
And breathe a prayer in silence,
At a mother's broken shrine,
For the woman who rocks the baby
In the room just next to mine.
poem by Anonymous Americas
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Lullaby
DAY has fled to the west afar,
Where no shadows or sorrows are;
O'er earth's radiant western rim
God has gathered the day to him.
Hush! the river of night is here,
Flowing silently, cool and clear,
With its mystical thoughts that throng
And its silences deep as song.
Babe of my bosom, sleep;
Tender, sweet blossom, sleep!
Hearts may ache
While the long hours go creeping;
Hearts may break
While my baby is sleeping;
Never wake,
Though thy mother is weeping;
Babe of my bosom, sleep!
Sleep! the silence is all around,
Save the sighings that are not sound,
Where the wind in the branches weaves
Mystic melodies through the leaves;
Or the far-away murmurings
Like the stir of an angel's wings.
Only night is about us now—
Child, the earth is as tired as thou.
Babe of my bosom, sleep;
Tender, sweet blossom, sleep!
Hearts may ache
While the long hours go creeping,
Hearts may break
While my baby is sleeping:
Never wake.
Though thy mother is weeping;
Babe of my bosom, sleep!
poem by Arthur Henry Adams
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Baby's First Journey
Lightly they hold him and lightly they sway him-
Soft as a pillow are somebody's arms.
Down he goes slowly, ever so lowly
Over the rim of the cradle they lay him-
Baby's first journey is free from alarms.
Baby is growing while Mama sings by-lo,
Sturdy and rosy and laughing and fair,
Crowing and growing past every one's knowing,
Out goes the cradle and in comes the 'high-lo,'
Baby's next journey is into this chair.
Crying or cooing or waking or sleeping,
Baby is ever a thing to adore.
Look at him yonder-oh what a wonder,
Who would believe it, the darling is creeping,
Baby's next journey is over the floor.
Sweeter and cuter and brighter and stronger,
Mama can see every day how he's grown.
Shoes are all battered, stockings all tattered,
Oh! but the baby is baby no longer
Look at the fellow-he's walking alone!
poem by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
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Good-By To The Cradle
GOOD-BY to the cradle, the dear wooden cradle,
The rude hand of Progress has thrust it aside:
No more to its motion, o'er Sleep's fairy ocean,
Our play-weary wayfarers peacefully glide;
No more by the rhythm of slow-moving rocker
Their sweet, dreamy fancies are fostered and fed;
No more to low singing the cradle goes swinging--
The child of this era is put into bed!
Good-by to the cradle, the dear wooden cradle,--
It lent to the twilight a mystical charm:
When bees left the clover, when playtime was over,
How safe seemed this shelter from danger and harm;
How soft seemed the pillow, how distant the ceiling,
How weird were the voices that whispered around;
What dreams would come flocking as, rocking and rocking,
We floated away into slumber profound.
Good-by to the cradle, the old wooden cradle,
The babe of the day does not know it by sight;
When day leaves the border, with system and order
The child goes to bed, and we put out the light.
I bow to Progression; and ask no concession,
Though strewn be her pathway with wrecks of the Past.
So off with old lumber, that sweet ark of slumber,
The dear wooden cradle, is ruthlessly cast.
poem by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
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A Dream For Us
Astley/roberts
Lately Ive been sleeping
Far too long in bed
Ive been dreaming of you lover
Oh the things inside my head
I dont want to wake up
Im scared to break the spell
Oh Im sleeping like a baby
I hope you sleep so well
You know Im hoping, hoping
(bridge)
I know theres a dream for us
I know theres a dream for us
I know theres a dream for us,
Been on our minds
I know theres a dream for us
I know theres a dream for us
I know theres a dream for us,
Were gonna find
(chorus)
I know theres a dream for us
I believe its true
In a word, love you
And Im hoping our dream comes true
You know Im hoping, hoping
Miracles and moonbeams, wishes on a star
These are things I dream of, I know it sounds bizarre
I see familiar faces, or is it dj vu
The one recurring vision
Is a dream I have of you
You know Im hoping, hoping
(repeat bridge)
Come on now baby
(repeat chorus)
When you find someone you find someone you love
You know you cant believe it
When you find someone you know you cant deceive it
Your love takes you high
I know theres a dream for us
Im sure theres a dreams for us
(repeat chorus)
song performed by by Rick Astley
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The Old Wooden Cradle
Good-bye to the cradle, the dear wooden cradle
The rude hand of Progress has thrust it aside.
No more to its motion o’er sleep’s fairy ocean,
Our play-weary wayfarers peacefully glide.
No more by the rhythm of slow-moving rocker,
Their sweet dreamy fancies are fostered and fed;
No more to low singing the cradle goes swinging –
The child of this era is put into bed.
Good-bye to the cradle, the dear wooden cradle,
It lent to the twilight a strange, subtle charm;
When bees left the clover, when play-time was over,
How safe seemed this shelter from danger or harm.
How soft seemed the pillow, how distant the ceiling,
How weird were the voices that whispered around,
What dreams would come flocking, as rocking and rocking,
We floated away into slumber profound.
Good-bye to the cradle, the old wooden cradle,
The babe of to-day does not know it by sight.
When day leaves the border, with system and order,
The child goes to bed and we put out the light.
I bow to Progression and ask no concession,
Though strewn be her pathway with wrecks of the past;
So off wit old lumber, that sweet ark of slumber,
The old wooden cradle, is ruthlessly cast.
poem by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Sleeping To Dream (Live @ Java Joes - 06.27.02)
words by jason mraz
music by jason mraz & peter stuart
I'm dreaming of sleeping next to you I'm feeling like a lost little boy in a brand new town
I'm counting my sheep and each one that passes is another dream to ashes
and they all fall down.
As I lay me down tonight,
I close my eyes and what a beautiful sight
I'm sleeping to dream about you
I'm so tired of having to live without you
So I'm sleeping to dream about you and I'm so tired
I found myself in the riches (Your eyes, your lips, your hair.) Well you were everywhere
But I woke up in the ditches. I hit the light and I thought you might be here
but you were nowhere. You were nowhere at home.
As I lay me back to sleep
Lord I pray that I can keep
Sleeping to dream about you
I'm so tired of having to live without you
So I'm sleeping to dream about you and I'm so tired
(It's just a little a lullaby to keep myself from crying myself to sleep at night.)
Sleeping to dream about you
I'm so tired of having to live without you
So I'm sleeping to dream about you and I'm so tired
song performed by by Jason Mraz
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The Sleepers
Two sleepers dreaming different dreams
lay together but apart
of a differnt girl he dreamed
he stirred but didn't start.
Beneath a canopy of stars
on a blanket in the dark
he gently kissed her burn scared breasts
and swore they'd never part.
The other sleeper gently moaned
with her dream love in the dark
deft fingers probed her secret place
as they lay heart to heart.
she may have called a name, not his,
as she shifted in the dark
but is that infidelity
on imaginations part?
Her fellow sleeper also smiled
as he dreamed of love long past
of his promise, long forgotten,
to a love that did not last.
poem by John F. McCullagh
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Waiting For Magic
kiss me baby i'm snowwhite
sleeping in a coffin
waiting for you/waiting for magic
baby i'm snowwhite
sleeping in a coffin
waiting for you/waiting for magic
a man of the world but lost in a dream
you look at something from a different angle
but i exist i'm waiting for you
in a coffin made of glass
kiss me baby i'm attractive
baby get to know me
show who you are
give me that magic
baby i'm eternal
lying in a coffin
waiting for you
in your dream a girl is dancing
close to you (that girl is me)
once a witch made her sleep
but a prince will wake her up it's you
kiss me baby...
in the tale is the place to find her
reach out to get to know her
it means so much to me
the meaning of the book
o kiss me baby wake me up
o kiss me baby wake me up
join in the story of the fairytale
believe the dream you will not fail
o kiss me baby wake me up
kiss me baby...
waiting for magic it's what i do
waiting for magic for me and you to kiss me
baby wake me up
caught in a dream how lucky you are
you can see me i'm the girl behind you
so open your eyes and turn around
and watch me dancing join the fairytales
kiss me baby...
you cannot reach her on the planet
that the scientists want to call the earth
but if you use your imagination
you will see her
you will find her in your dreams
i see now shadows in my dreams
it is something so romantic
i can tell it's for real you'll see
song performed by by Ace Of Base
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Breaking The Day In Two
When from dawn till noon seems one long day,
And from noon till night another,
Oh, then should a little boy come from play,
And creep into the arms of his mother.
Snugly creep and fall asleep,
O come, my baby, do;
Creep into my lap, and with a nap,
We'll break the day in two.
When the shadows slant for afternoon,
When the midday meal is over;
When the winds have sung themselves into a swoon,
And the bees drone in the clover.
Then hie to me, hie, for a lullaby-
Come, my baby, do;
Creep into my lap, and with a nap
We'll break the day in two.
We'll break it in two with a crooning song,
With a soft and soothing number;
For the day has no right to be so long
And keep my baby from slumber.
Then rock-a-by, rock, may white dreams flock
Like angels over you;
Baby's gone, and the deed is done
We've broken the day in two.
poem by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Im Not Sleeping
(feat. krayzie bone)
Wake up, wake up....
Turn on the water
Close the door
I wont let you tear me down
Just another moment
When the sound of your voice
Cuts me to the ground
Locked in here just to make
Myself feel better
Look in the mirror
And tell myself that Im okay
I know it doesnt matter
Whatever I do
Its always second best
I gotta free my mind
Exactly what you wanted
You opened me up
The secrets I confessed
Wake up, wake up
Im not here just to
Make you feel better
Stroke your ego
Live happy ever after
Im not sleeping
And I aint dreaming
And I aint fooled anymore
Im not sleeping
Just to wake up on the floor
Im not sleeping
Anymore
So many times
I wanted to go
But I just lost my way
Watching you unravelling
The last piece of thread
That held me into place
I dont care if you hear a word
Im saying
I can only hear
The voices screaming in my head
Im not sleeping
And I aint dreaming
And I aint fooled anymore
Im not sleeping
Just to wake up on the floor
Im not sleeping
I done beat your game
But Im not even sleeping no more, Im not even tired
And Im sick of dreaming pain
Tossing and turning all night and waking wide up
Now Im really looking at the door shouldve made this move before
I cant take this anymore
I dont want no more nightmares in the night
No not tonight
I already seen the light
I gotta free my mind
And wake up, wake up
Im not sleeping
And I aint dreaming
And I aint fooled anymore
Wake up
Im not sleeping
Just to wake up on the floor
Im not sleeping
I done beat your game
But Im not even sleeping no more, Im not even tired
Go to wake up
I done beat your game
But Im not even sleeping no more, Im not even tired
Im not sleeping
Just to wake up on the floor
Im not sleeping
Anymore
song performed by by Tiffany
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Lullaby for Lovely Baby
(dedicated to Ms. Ruth Palmer, a talented violinist)
suavely
tenderly
con amore
ornamentally
very gently
con grazia
flowing hug
slowly sway
pianissimo
caring touch
softly voice
delicatezza
sleep my baby
sleep into deep
sleep peacefully
sleep happily
sleep sweetheart
sleep, no more weep
wish you well
wish you luck
wish always to you
wish you save
wish you glad
wish from us to you
berceuse Debussy
berceuse Chopin
only to you
let’s dream nicely
let’s dream gorgeously
let’s dream of playground
let bubbles dance
let balloons fly
let stars sing
simply
humbly
piacevole
beautifully
smoothly
dolce
do we still need in harsh time
do we still seek in hard world
this lullaby too, my dear friends?
(inspired by Berthe Morisot's The Cradle)
poem by Ahmad Shiddiqi
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Away In A Manger
Away in a manger
No crib for a bed
The little lord jesus
Lay down his sweet head
The stars in the sky
Look down where lay
The little lord jesus
Asleep in the hay
The cattle are lowing
The poor baby wakes
But little lord jesus
No crying he makes
I love thee lord jesus
Look down from the sky
And stay by my cradle
Till morning is nigh
Choir sings: away in a manger
No crib for a bed
The little lord jesus
Lay down his sweet head
The stars in the heavens
Look down where he lay
The little lord jesus
Asleep on the hay
Martina sings: away in a manger
No crib for a bed
The little lord jesus
Lay down his sweet head
I love thee lord jesus
Look down from the sky
And stay by my cradle
Till morning is nigh
Stay by my cradle
Till morning is nigh
song performed by by Martina Mcbride
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Mother Dawn
Hold me, hold me
Breathe the light into me
Hold me, hold me
Mother dawn
Mother dawn
Dancing round the fire
Circling the flame
Listen to the shadows calling out my name
They say
Rock me like a baby
Cradle me in the light
Bathe me in a rainbow
Sun restore my sight
Hold me, hold me
Breathe the light into me
Hold me, hold me
Mother dawn (all night long yeah)
Hold me, hold me
Breathe the light into me (all night long yeah)
Hold me, hold me
Mother dawn
Look into the light
Come and take a journey through the land of night
Darkness strokes the face and
Steals away the sight
Night is all around me
Stars are in my hair
I feel them tangled in the secrets well
Find hidden there all right
Reaching through the madness
To the other side
Where the sun is rising
With her arms held wide
Hold me, hold me
Breathe the light into me
Hold me, hold me
Mother dawn (all night long yeah)
(till the dawn light comes)
Hold me, hold me
Breathe the light into me (all night long yeah)
Hold me, hold me
Mother dawn (all night long)
(I know youre gonna love me)
(I know youre gonna love me)
One star flew against the tapestry of the night
And the earth revolved in perfect symmetry
To a symphony of sun
The moon danced its final bow
As the birth of day
Exploded
In my eyes
Reaching through the madness
To the other side
Where the sun is rising
With her arms held wide
Rock me like a baby
Cradle me in light
Youre gonna bathe me in a rainbow
And the sun restore my sight
Hold me, hold me
Breathe the light into me
Hold me, hold me
Mother dawn
Hold me, hold me (all night long yeah)
Breathe the light into me
(till the dawn light comes yeah)
Hold me, hold me (all night long yeah)
Mother dawn (I know youre gonna love me yeah)
I know youre
Gonna love me
All night long yeah
Till the dawn light comes
All night long yeah
I know youre gonna love me love me
All night long yeah
Till the dawn light comes
All night long yeah
I know youre gonna love me love me
Mother dawn
song performed by by Billy Idol
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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I Couldn't Say Goodbye
I watch you as you're sleeping
As I'm standing at the door
I don't want to let you go
But I can't hold on anymore
I just can't find the strength
To say I'm leaving you
It's over now, it's over now
And there's nothing I can do
I couldn't say goodbye
Couldn't stand the pain
Couldn't watch you cry
Knowing that your heart would break
So I let you sleep
Till the morning light
When you wake up and you read the note I write
Telling you that I
I couldn't say goodbye
I'm walking down this rainy street
Thinking you're awake by now
As you read my letter
And the tears fall from your eyes
Just know I tried to make it work
It just wasn't meant to be
I needed you, I needed you
But not the way you needed me
I couldn't say goodbye
Couldn't stand the pain
Couldn't watch you cry
Knowing that your heart would break
So I let you sleep
Till the morning light
When you wake up and you read the note I write
Telling you that I
I couldn't say goodbye
I didn't mean to hurt you
I didn't want to make you cry
It's over now, yes it's over now
I just couldn't say goodbye
I couldn't say goodbye
Couldn't stand the pain
Couldn't watch you cry
Knowing that your heart would break
So I let you sleep
Till the morning light
When you wake up and you read the note I write
Telling you that I
I couldn't say goodbye
song performed by by Tom Jones
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Dust Child
Come child sleep here by my side
Come child breathe your lungs a little while
Come child sleep here by my side
Come child to your surrender
Sleepwalking angel
Travel through a lonely house
Inspire hollow
Sadly follow
Your way to find me here
Come child sleep here by my side
Come child breathe your lungs a little more
Come child sleep here by my side
Come child to your surrender
Let dust settle
As blankets for your sleep
The skin tremble form the cold
Slowly'll corrode
Rest while you can
Before the sun comes up
And they'll find you where they find you
Only hope says they'll find you right here
Come child sleep here by my side
Come child breathe your lungs a little while
Come child sleep here by my side
Come child to your surrender
Wander ghostly cherub
Let torrents of empty calm you down
Let the dreams that wait for you dampen your lips
Until you wake and breathe your darling lungs no more...
Come child to your surrender (repeat until fades)
poem by Daniel Oliveira
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Don't Wake Me Up
Don't wake me up for I'm dreaming.
Don't wake me up just yet.
Let me keep on dreaming.
I'm dreaming of when we first met.
Don't wake me up for I'm dreaming,
dreaming of our first kiss,
trembling for not ever knowing
there could be such bliss.
In my dream I'm remembering
just how much you mean
as I see flashes of love
in every single scene.
I'm dreaming of all the past twenty years
and seeing us as we age.
I'm viewing visions of our future
with the turn of every page
in the book of life
that's in the dream I'm in.
All the love I'm experiencing
has put my head in a spin.
So, don't wake me up for I'm dreaming.
Don't wake me up just yet.
Let me wake up on my own dear
for I'm dreaming of when we met.
poem by Edwina Reizer
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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