The Mind

To Sleep (O gentle Sleep! do they belong to thee)

by William Wordsworth 1770–1850

From Poems, in Two Volumes (1807)

The Mind

O gentle Sleep! do they belong to thee,
These twinklings of oblivion? Thou dost love
To sit in meekness, like the brooding Dove,
A Captive never wishing to be free.
This tiresome night, O Sleep! thou art to me
A Fly, that up and down himself doth shove
Upon a fretful rivulet, now above,
Now on the water vex'd with mockery.
I have no pain that calls for patience, no;
Hence am I cross and peevish as a child:
Am pleas'd by fits to have thee for my foe,
Yet ever willing to be reconciled:
O gentle Creature! do not use me so,
But once and deeply let me be beguiled.

MLA

Wordsworth, William. “To Sleep (O gentle Sleep! do they belong to thee).” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/wordsworth/49/.

Chicago

Wordsworth, William. “To Sleep (O gentle Sleep! do they belong to thee).” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/wordsworth/49/.

Read this poem with the Codex →

More by William Wordsworth