The Mind

The Night

by Hilaire Belloc 1870–1953

From Verses (1916 edition)

The MindReligion

Most holy Night, that still dost keep
The keys of all the doors of sleep,
To me when my tired eyelids close
Give thou repose.

And let the far lament of them
That chaunt the dead day’s requiem
Make in my ears, who wakeful lie,
Soft lullaby.

Let them that guard the horned moon
By my bedside their memories croon.
So shall I have new dreams and blest
In my brief rest.

Fold your great wings about my face,
Hide dawning from my resting-place,
And cheat me with your false delight,
Most Holy Night.

✦ ✦ ✦

A prayer to 'Most holy Night' to give the poet rest, and to hide the dawn from his resting-place.

MLA

Belloc, Hilaire. “The Night.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/belloc/7/.

Chicago

Belloc, Hilaire. “The Night.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/belloc/7/.

Read this poem with the Codex →

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