Sleep Quote by Louis MacNeice
““Cradle Song for Eleanor”: Sleep, my darling, sleep; The pity of it all Is all we compass if We watch disaster fall. Put off your twenty-odd Encumbered years and creep Into the only heaven, The robbers’ cave of sleep. The wild grass will whisper, Lights of passing cars Will streak across your dreams And fumble at the stars; Life will tap the window Only too soon again, Life will have her answer – Do not ask her when. When the winsome bubble Shivers, when the bough Breaks, will be the moment But not here or now. Sleep and, asleep, forget The watchers on the wall Awake all night who know The pity of it all.””
About This Quote
Source Poem: Cradle Song for Eleanor, 1938
A lullaby juxtaposes tender sleep with the harshness of a world full of suffering, urging escape into dreams while acknowledging inevitable loss.
In simple terms: Sleep offers temporary escape from pain.
Key Takeaway
Seek solace in moments of peace.
Themes
sleep
comfort
loss
war
escapism
Mood
somber
reflective
Type
poetic
lament
When to use this quote
- battlefields
- nighttime vigils
- grieving families
Key Concepts
poetry
war trauma
human fragility
Questions to Reflect On
- How do we balance denial and confronting grief?
- What role does art play in coping?
A Different Perspective
Dreams cannot solve real problems.
