American Old Time Song Lyrics: 40 Rock Me To Sleep Mother
Theater, Music-Hall, Nostalgic, Irish & Historic Old Songs, Volume 40
ROCK ME TO SLEEP, MOTHER
Backward, turn backward, oh time, In your flight,,
Make me a child again just, for to-night;
Mother, come back from the echoless shore,
Take me again to your heart as of yore;
Kiss from my forehead the furrows of care,
Smooth the few silver threads out of my hair;
Over my slumber your loving watch keep.
Rock we to sleep, mother, rock me to sleep.
Chorus.
Clasped to your heart in a loving embrace,
With your light lashes just, sweeping; my face,
Never hereafter to wake or to weep,
Rock me to sleep, mother, rock me to sleep.
Backward, flow backward, oh tide of the years;
I am so weary of toil and of tears-
Toil without recompense, tears all in vain,
Take them, and give me my childhood again,
I have grown weary of dust and decay.
Weary of flinging my soul-wealth away,
Weary of sowing for others to reap
Rock me to sleep, mother, rock me to sleep.- Chorus.
Tired of the hollow, the base, the untrue,
Mother, oh, mother, my heart calls for you.
Many a summer the grass has grown green,
Blossomed and laded, our faces between;
Yet with strong yearnings and passionate pain
Long I to-night for your presence again.
Come from the silence so long and so deep-
Rock me to sleep, mother, rock me to sleep.-Chorus.
Over my heart, in the days that are flown,
No love like mother-love ever has shone;
No other worship abides or endures,
Faithful, unselfish, And patient like yours.
None like a mother can charm away pain
From the sick soul, and the world-weary brain;
Slumber's soft calm o'er my heavy lids creep-
Rock me to sleep, mother, rock me to sleep.-Chorus.
Mother, dear mother, the years have been long
Since I have slept to your lullaby song;
Sing then, and unto my soul it. shall seem
Womanhood's years have been only a dream,
Clasped to your heart in a loving embrace.
With your light lashes just sweeping my face,
Never, hereafter, to wake or to weep-
Rock me to sleep, mother, rock me to sleep.- Chorus.