O Sleep
O Sleep
This poem appears only once, in Skipsey's last published volume, Songs and Lyrics (1892) where it is the second poem in the collection, after Willy to Jinny.
O sleep, my little baby; thou
Wilt wake thy father with thy cries;
And he into the pit must go,
Before the sun begins to rise.
He'll toil for thee the whole day long,
And when his weary work is o'er,
He'll whistle thee a merry song,
And drive the demons from your door.
I used the word 'demons' was instead of the original 'bogies' which I felt might be misinterpreted. The accompaniment is a simple ostinato such as is often used in lullabies.
Origiinal poem (from: Songs and Lyrics, 1892)
O sleep, my little baby; thou
Wilt wake thy father with thy cries;
And he into the pit must go,
Before the sun begins to rise.
He'll toil for thee the whole day long,
And when the weary work is o'er,
He'll whistle thee a merry song,
And drive the bogies from the door.