The Sleep of Reason

If you should fall asleep, once more,

And heed that soothing, calm refrain –

From evening’s care, close fast the door –

To quiet the distant, blowing rain :

Except those drops on earth that land

And tap upon its leafy coat

To drown out all the noise at hand -

A steady, never-changing note :

As morning church bells timely beat

For dawn, that had been led astray

By bold and cold night’s legioned feet,

To look in hope for coming day

And wonder : what has been forgot ?

For is that rain outside the door,

Or slow, sad tears that fears have wrought,

If you should fall asleep once more ?

If you should waken, once again,

To glimpse one, rosy ray of dawn

That tip-toes past dim window panes

And finds a blink to dance upon ;

That springs unseen from starry nest,

Past countless paths along the trek,

And wings intently t’ward its quest

Where it alights that destined speck :

As ancient westward winds blow o’er

The migrant cranes in autumn flight,

While children stand on ocean’s shore

To watch them sail beyond all sight

And wonder : what can yonder lie ?

For is that sight, by light regained,

Or shone from inward-looking eye,

If you should waken once again ?

Gerald Therrien is a researcher and historian based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and is a member of the Advisory Board of the Rising Tide Foundation. His writings have been published in the Canadian Patriot Review, including his four volumes of The Unveiling of Canadian History.