The Mind

Sleep

by James Whitcomb Riley 1849–1916

From Afterwhiles (1887)

The Mind

Thou drowsy god, whose blurred eyes, half awink
Muse on me--, drifting out upon thy dreams,
I lave my soul as in enchanted streams
Where revelling satyrs pipe along the brink,
And tipsy with the melody they drink,
Uplift their dangling hooves, and down the beams
Of sunshine dance like motes. Thy languor seems
An ocean-depth of love wherein I sink
Like some fond Argonaut, right willingly--,
Because of wooing eyes upturned to mine,
And siren-arms that coil their sorcery
About my neck, with kisses so divine,
The heavens reel above me, and the sea
Swallows and licks its wet lips over me.

MLA

Riley, James Whitcomb. “Sleep.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/riley/231/.

Chicago

Riley, James Whitcomb. “Sleep.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/riley/231/.

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