Poetry Archives

Dame mouse patters
Black against the shadow grey;
     Dame mouse patters
     Grey against the black.

     Hear the bed-time bell!
Sleep forthwith, good prisoners;
     Hear the bed-time bell!
     You must go to sleep.

     No disturbing dream!
Think of nothing but your loves:
     No disturbing dream,
     Of the fair ones think!

     Moonlight clear and bright!
Some one of the neighbors snores;
     Moonlight clear and bright—
     He is troublesome.

     Comes a pitchy cloud
Creeping o’er the faded moon;
     Comes a pitchy cloud—
     See the grey dawn creep!

     Dame mouse patters
Pink across an azure ray;
     Dame mouse patters. . . .
     Sluggards, up! ’tis day!