Can I find True-Love a gift <br />In this dark hour to restore her, <br />When body's vessel breaks adrift, <br />When hope and beauty fade before her? <br />But in this plight I cannot think <br />Of song or music, that would grieve her, <br />Or toys or meat or snow-cooled drink; <br />Not this way can her sadness leave her. <br />She lies and frets in childish fever, <br />All I can do is but to cry <br />'Sleep, sleep, True-Love and lullaby!' <br /> <br />Lullaby, and sleep again. <br />Two bright eyes through the window stare, <br />A nose is flattened on the pane <br />And infant fingers fumble there. <br />'Not yet, not yet, you lovely thing, <br />But count and come nine weeks from now, <br />When winter's tail has lost the sting, <br />When buds come striking through the bough, <br />Then here's True-Love will show you how <br />Her name she won, will hush your cry <br />With 'Sleep, my baby! Lullaby!'<br /><br />Robert Graves<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-promised-lullaby/
