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Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE BODING DREAMS, by THOMAS LOVELL BEDDOES Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: In lover's ear a wild voice cried Last Line: The murder's done. Subject(s): Death; Dreams; Murder; Predestination; Sleep; Dead, The; Nightmares | |||
I. IN lover's ear a wild voice cried: 'Sleeper, awake and rise!' A pale form stood at his bed-side, With heavy tears in her sad eyes. 'A beckoning hand, a moaning sound, A new-dug grave in weedy ground Of her who sleeps in dreams of thee. Awake! Let not the murder be!' Unheard the faithful dream did pray, And sadly sighed itself away. 'Sleep on,' sung Sleep, 'to-morrow 'Tis time to know thy sorrow.' 'Sleep on,' sung Death, 'to-morrow From me thy sleep thou'lt borrow.' Sleep on, lover, sleep on, The tedious dream is gone; The bell tolls one. II. Another hour, another dream: 'Awake! awake!' it wailed, 'Arise, ere with the moon's last beam Her dearest life hath paled.' A hidden light, a muffled tread, A daggered hand beside the bed For her who sleeps and dreams of thee. Thou wak'st not: let the murder be. In vain the faithful dream did pray, And sadly sighed itself away. 'Sleep on,' sung Sleep, 'to-morrow 'Tis time to know thy sorrow.' 'Sleep on,' sung Death, 'to-morrow From me thy sleep thou'It borrow.' Sleep on, lover, sleep on, The tedious dream is gone; Soon comes the sun. III. Another hour, another dream: A red wound on a snowy breast, A rude hand stifling the last scream, On rosy lips a death-kiss pressed. Blood on the sheets, blood on the floor, The murderer stealing through the door. 'Now,' said the voice, with comfort deep, 'She sleeps indeed, and thou may'st sleep.' The scornful dream then turned away To the first, weeping cloud of day. 'Sleep on,' sung Sleep, 'to-morrow 'Tis time to know thy sorrow. 'Sleep on,' sung Death, 'to-morrow From me thy sleep thou'It borrow.' Sleep on, lover, sleep on, The tedious dream is gone; The murder's done. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...VARIATIONS: 14 by CONRAD AIKEN VARIATIONS: 18 by CONRAD AIKEN LIVE IT THROUGH by DAVID IGNATOW A DREAM OF GAMES by JOSEPHINE JACOBSEN THE DREAM OF WAKING by RANDALL JARRELL APOLOGY FOR BAD DREAMS by ROBINSON JEFFERS GIVE YOUR WISH LIGHT by ROBINSON JEFFERS BALLAD OF HUMAN LIFE by THOMAS LOVELL BEDDOES DEATH'S JEST-BOOK: DIRGE FOR WOLFRAM by THOMAS LOVELL BEDDOES DEATH'S JEST-BOOK: SAILORS' [OR MARINERS'] SONG by THOMAS LOVELL BEDDOES |
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