Poetry Archives

Out yonder in the moonlight, wherein God’s Acre lies,
Go angels walking to and fro, singing their lullabies.
Their radiant wings are folded, and their eyes are bended low,
As they sing among the beds whereon the flowers delight to grow,—

        “Sleep, oh, sleep!
        The Shepherd guardeth His sheep.
  Fast speedeth the night away,
  Soon cometh the glorious day;
  Sleep, weary ones, while ye may,
        Sleep, oh, sleep!”

The flowers within God’s Acre see that fair and wondrous sight,
And hear the angels singing to the sleepers through the night;
And, lo! throughout the hours of day those gentle flowers prolong
The music of the angels in that tender slumber-song,—

        “Sleep, oh, sleep!
        The Shepherd loveth His sheep.
  He that guardeth His flock the best
  Hath folded them to His loving breast;
  So sleep ye now, and take your rest,—
        Sleep, oh, sleep!”

From angel and from flower the years have learned that soothing song,
And with its heavenly music speed the days and nights along;
So through all time, whose flight the Shepherd’s vigils glorify,
God’s Acre slumbereth in the grace of that sweet lullaby,—

        “Sleep, oh, sleep!
        The Shepherd loveth His sheep.
  Fast speedeth the night away,
  Soon cometh the glorious day;
  Sleep, weary ones, while ye may,—
        Sleep, oh, sleep!”