foam,
The cruel hungry foam,
To her grave beside the sea:
But still the boatmen hear her call the cattle home
Across the sands of Dee!

The next two poems, by Alfred Tennyson
(1809-1892), are very well-known songs. "What
Does Little Birdie Say" is the mother's song in
"Sea Dreams." "Sweet and Low" is one of the
best of the lyrics in "The Princess," and a
favorite among the greatest lullabies.

346

"WHAT DOES LITTLE BIRDIE SAY?"

ALFRED TENNYSON

What does little birdie say,
In her nest at peep of day?
"Let me fly," says little birdie,
"Mother, let me fly away."
"Birdie, rest a little longer,
Till the little wings are stronger."
So she rests a little longer,
Then she flies away.

What does little baby say,
In her bed at peep of day?
Baby says, like little birdie,
"Let me rise and fly away."
"Baby, sleep a little longer,
Till the little limbs are stronger."
If she sleeps a little longer,
Baby too shall fly away.

347

SWEET AND LOW

ALFRED TENNYSON

Sweet and low, sweet and low,
Wind of the western sea,
Low, low, breathe and blow,
Wind of the western sea!
Over the rolling waters go,
Come from the dying moon, and blow,
Blow him again to me;
While my little one, while my pretty one, sleeps.

Sleep and rest, sleep and rest,
Father will come to thee soon;
Rest, rest on mother's breast,
Father will come to thee soon;
Father will come to his babe in the nest,
Silver sails all out of the west
Under the silver moon:
Sleep, my little one, sleep, my pretty one, sleep.

348

This poem is a great poet's expression of what
a poet's ideal of his mission should be. It is
summed up in the last two lines. An interesting
comparison could be made of the purpose of
poetry as reflected here with that suggested by
Longfellow in No. 342.

THE POET'S SONG

ALFRED TENNYSON

The rain had fallen, the Poet arose,
He pass'd by the town and out of the street,
A light wind blew from the gates of the sun,
And waves of shadow went over the wheat,
A