Text: William Blake
Language: English
Use: Christmas
Ensemble: SATB (div.), with Childrens Choir or Soprano Soloist
Accompaniment: Organ
Duration: 5.0 minutes
Page Count: 11
Catalog Number: NWC-199
Available from J. W. Pepper.
Note:
For SATB (div.) choir, organ, and soprano solo or children’s choir. The beautiful words of A Cradle Song from William Blake's Songs of Innocence are set as a lullaby with a rocking motion and gently changing mixed meters.
Text:
Sweet dreams form a shade,
O'er my lovely infants head.
Sweet dreams of pleasant streams,
By happy silent moony beams
Sweet sleep with soft down.
Weave thy brows an infant crown.
Sweet sleep Angel mild,
Hover o'er my happy child.
Sweet smiles in the night,
Hover over my delight.
Sweet smiles Mothers smiles,
All the livelong night beguiles.
Sweet moans, dovelike sighs,
Chase not slumber from thy eyes,
Sweet moans, sweeter smiles,
All the dovelike moans beguiles.
Sleep sleep happy child,
All creation slept and smil'd.
Sleep sleep, happy sleep.
While o'er thee thy mother weep
Sweet babe in thy face,
Holy image I can trace.
Sweet babe once like thee.
Thy maker lay and wept for me
Wept for me for thee for all,
When he was an infant small.
Thou his image ever see.
Heavenly face that smiles on thee,
Smiles on thee on me on all,
Who became an infant small,
Infant smiles are His own smiles,
Heaven and earth to peace beguiles.
William Blake (1757-1827)