A Panama Lullaby

By James Stanley Gilbert

LULLABY, lullaby, child of the morning,

List to the matin bells hailing the day;

See the sun blithely the cloudlets adorning,

Ere beginning his journey from far down the bay.

Lovingly, tenderly, each cloud caressing

With glances of love-light and fingers of gold,

For each one doth hold for my darling a blessing,

That each hour of the day shall gently unfold.

Lullaby, lullaby, child of the even,

List to the vesper bells closing the day;

See the moon marshal the star-hosts of heaven

Ere beginning her journey from far down the bay.

Lovingly, tenderly, each star caressing

With glances of love-light and fingers of gold;

For each one doth hold for my darling a blessing,

That each hour of the night shall gently unfold.

Oh, child of the dawning, child of the gloaming,

Light of my spirit and pride of my heart!

Down into dreamland go fearlessly roaming:

Thy heart from my bosom shall ne'er be apart.

By day and by night I will guard thee securely—

Thy life is my life, my glorious boy—

In my arms slumbering—guilelessly, purely,

Thou'rt God's choicest gift and man's greatest joy!