Author: Algernon Charles Swinburne
(To a tune of Blakes) I. Baby, baby bright, Sleep can steal from sight Little of your light: Soft as fire in dew, Still the life in you Lights your slumber through. Four white eyelids keep Fast the seal of sleep Deep as love is deep: Yet, though closed it lies, Love behind them spies Heaven in two blue eyes. II. Baby, baby dear, Earth and heaven are near Now, for heaven is here. Heaven is every place Where your flower-sweet face Fills our eyes with grace. Till your own eyes deign Earth a glance again, Earth and heaven are twain. Now your sleep is done, Shine, and show the sun Earth and heaven are one. III. Baby, baby sweet, Loves own lips are meet Scarce to kiss your feet. Hardly loves own ear, When your laugh crows clear, Quite deserves to hear. Hardly loves own wile, Though it please awhile, Quite deserves your smile. Baby full of grace, Bless us yet a space: Sleep will come apace. IV. Baby, baby true, Man, whateer he do, May deceive not you. Smiles whose love is guile, Worn a flattering while, Win from you no smile. One, the smile alone Out of loves heart grown, Ever wins your own. Man, a dunce uncouth, Errs in age and youth: Babies know the truth. V. Baby, baby fair, Love is fain to dare Bless your haughtiest air. Baby blithe and bland, Reach but forth a hand None may dare withstand; Love, though wellnigh cowed, Yet would praise aloud Pride so sweetly proud. No! the fitting word Even from breeze or bird Never yet was heard. VI. Baby, baby kind, Though no word we find, Bear us yet in mind. Half a little hour, Baby bright in bower, Keep this thought aflower Love it is, I see, Here with heart and knee Bows and worships me. What can baby do, Then, for love so true? Let it worship you. VII. Baby, baby wise, Loves divine surmise Lights your constant eyes. Day and night and day One mute word would they, As the soul saith, say. Trouble comes and goes; Wonder ebbs and flows; Love remains and glows. As the fledgeling dove Feels the breast above, So your heart feels love.
Type of Poem: Lyric Poem
Date Written:
Date Published:
Language: English
Keywords: Public Domain
Source: Public Domain Collection
Publisher:
Rights/Permissions: Public Domain
Comments/Notes: This charming poem leans into themes of innocence, love, and the divine, using the image of a baby to represent purity and truth. The poet successfully creates a tender tone that is both warming and inviting, allowing the reader to share in the intimate moments of admiration for the child.
The poem follows a structured rhyme scheme, giving it a rhythmic and melodic quality that complements its lullaby-like content. Each stanza is dedicated to a different aspect of the child's nature and the speaker's response to it, from the baby's bright light (stanza I) to its wisdom and understanding of love (stanza VII). The repetition of the phrase "Baby, baby" at the start of each stanza emphasizes the central focus on the child, while also reinforcing the poem's gentle, soothing rhythm.
A notable literary device employed by the poet is the use of metaphoric language to draw comparisons between the baby and elements of nature and the divine. For instance, the baby's face is described as "flower-sweet", suggesting beauty, purity, and growth. Moreover, the baby is personified as a beacon of truth, capable of discerning genuine affection from false charm. This conceit offers a critique of adult deceit and highlights the inherent honesty of children.
In conclusion, the poem paints a touching portrait of a child, celebrating its purity, truth, and capacity for love. It uses structure and literary devices effectively to create a soothing, melodic tone, while its themes of innocence and love resonate throughout.
Lyric poetry is a powerful and intimate form of expression, characterized by its focus on the personal emotions and thoughts of the poet. Often musical in nature, lyric poems resonate with readers through their vivid language and rhythmic flow, capturing moments of intense feeling.
Here are some key characteristics that define lyric poetry:
From ancient odes to contemporary free verse, lyric poetry remains a beloved and enduring form, celebrated for its ability to articulate the nuances of human emotion in a way that resonates deeply with readers.