The Republican journal., 1905-11-16
ROCK ME TO SLEEP.
A Famous Poem by a Former Franklin
County Woman, Elizabeth Akers Allen.

a rdmoue Poem Dy y = Orner FRANKLIN
County Woman, Elizabeth Akers Allen.
Mrs. Elizabeth Akers Allen was born
in Strong, Maine, in 1882, and her child
hood was passed in Pennington. The
family name was Chase. AS early as
1S45 she was writing for publication,
and at the age of fifteen years she was
known by the pen name OF FLORENCE
Percy" In 1866 her first volume of
verse appeared and she wrote Rock
Me to Sleep soon after, although the
poem was not published until later. 1t
is probably the best known of all her
productions, and the authors own ac-
count of the circumstances attending
its writing is as follows: ''The lines
voiced the longing of a young woman
for her mother, whom she had lost.
was the young woman. l was about to
sail for Europe and remembered that
had sent nothing recently to a periodi-
cal of which | was contributor.
opened my portfolio and took out sew
eral poems and sketches which | sub
mitted to my brother-in-law. He told
me to send any one of them except
Rock Me to Sleep, Mother 1 did not
consider that as embodying my best
work, but concluded to send it, and
people seemed to have liked it. After
time an animated discussion sprang
up as to the authorship of the poem,
during which it was distorted and garb-
led in the most ridiculous fashion, but
paid little attention to it, and it final
ly died out" The poem has been trans
lated into other languages ard set to
music, with changes many and various.
AS herewith presented, however, it is
exactly as written, forty-two years ago.
In 1860 Miss Chase married the sculp
tor, Benjamin Paul Akers, who lived
but year. In 1865 she married Will
liam H. Allen, LII. d., formerly presi-
literary reputation. The residence of
the Aliens is in Tuckahoe, short dis
lance from New York city. Mrs. Allen
has been constant worker down to the
present year, having published large
number of books, and Maine may well
be proud to reckon her among the dis
tinguished daughters born within the
borders of the Pine Tree State.
flight,
Make me child again just for tonight!
Mother, come back from the echoless shore,
Take me again to your heart as of yore;
Kiss from my forehead the burrows of care,
Smooth the few silver threads out of my
hair;
Over my siumbers your loving watch keep
Rock me to sleep, MOTHERHOOD me to sleep!
Backward, flow backward, O tide of the
years!
| am so weary of toll and of tears;
Toll without recompense, tears all in vain
Take them, and give me my childhood again!
| have grown weary of dust and decay
Weary of hinging my sOul-wealth away;
Weary of sowing for others to reap
SIppn lpr-rook m tn
Tired of the hollow, the base, the untrue,
Mother, o mother, my heart calls for you.
Many summer the grass has grown green,
Blossomed and faded, our faces between
Yet, with strong yearhing and passionate
pain,
Long tonight for your presence again;
Come from the silence SO long and so deep.
Rock me to sleep, mother-rock me to sleep.
Over my heart, in the days that are flown,
No love like mother-love ever has shone;
No other worship abides and endureS,
Faithful, unself>h, and patient, like yours;
, None like mother can charm away pain
From the sick soul and world Weary brain.
Slumber's soft calms DER my heavy lids
Rock me to sleep, mother rock me to sleep.
Come, let your brown hair, just lighted with
gold,
Fall on your shoulders again as of old;
Let it drop over my forehead tonight,
Shading my faint eyes away from the light;
For with its sunny edged shadows once
more
HAPPY will throng the sweet visions of
yore;
Lovingly, softly, its bright pillows sweep
Rock me to sleep, mother-rock me to sleep!
Mother, dear mother, the years have been
long
Since last listened your lullaby song;
Sing, then, and unto my soul it Shall seem
WomanhOod's years have been only dream.
| Clasped to your heart in loving embrace,
With your light ashes just sweeping my
face,
| Never hereafter to wake or to weep
Rock me to sleep, mother-rock me to sleep!