I

Take me up in thine arms, oh some mother.

Take me up in thine arms, make me a child.

An endless lack of joy every joy doth smother

That rises in me, sudden or great or mild.

Take me up in thine arms, rock me to sleep.

Rock me to sleep in a great meaningless way.

And may I hear, like one who sleeps in a house by a bay,

A great loud wind rise like a life from the deep

And cease as I fall asleep like a life that passes away.