A Child Asleep

A Child Asleep è una canzone, con versi tratti da una poesia scritta da Elizabeth Barrett Browning. Fu messa in musica dal compositore inglese Edward Elgar nel dicembre 1909 e pubblicata nel 1910 da Novello. Era stata pubblicata per la prima volta dalla Browning nel 1840.

È dedicata ad Anthony Goetz, figlio di Ludovic Goetz e Muriel Foster, una delle cantanti preferite di Elgar e sua amica personale.

    How he sleepeth!          Vision unto vision calleth,         While the young child dreameth on.     Fair, O dreamer, thee befalleth         With the glory thou hast won! Darker wert thou in the garden, yestermorn, by summer sun.     We should see the spirits [rising]         Round thee,—were the clouds away.     'Tis the child-heart draws them, singing         In the silent-seeming clay. Singing!—stars that seem the mutest, go in music music all the way.     Softly, softly! make no noises!         Now he lieth [still] and dumb.     Now he hears the angels' voices         Folding silence in the room. Now he muses deep the meaning of the Heaven-words as they come.     He is harmless—[we] are sinful.         [We] are troubled—he, at ease.     From his slumber, virtue winful         Floweth outward with increase. Dare not bless him! but be blessèd by his peace—and go in peace.

Stanza I, riga 1a; stanze IV, V, IX, e XII

Seven Lieder (1885-1894): "Like to the Damask Rose" (1892), "Queen Mary's Song" (1889), "A Song of Autumn" (1892), "The Poet's Life" (1892), "Through the Long Days" (1885), "Rondel" (1894), "The Shepherd's Song" (1892)

"Is she not passing fair?" (1886) · "As I laye a-thynkynge" (1888) · "The Wind at Dawn" (1888) · "The Shepherd's Song" (1892) · "After" (1900) · "A Song of Flight" (1900)

Sea Pictures (1899): "Sea Slumber Song", "In Haven", "Sabbath Morning at Sea", "Where Corals Lie", "The Swimmer" (1897–99)

"Dry those fair, those crystal eyes" (1899) · The Pipes of Pan (1899) · "Always and Everywhere" (1901) · "Come, Gentle Night!" (1901) · "In the Dawn" (1901) · "Speak, Music!" (1901) · "There are seven that pull the thread" (1901) · "In Moonlight" ((1904) · "Follow the Colours" (1907) · "Pleading" (1908) · "A Child Asleep" (1909) · "Oh, soft was the song" (1910) · "Was it some Golden Star?" (1910) · "Twilight" (1910) · "The Chariots of the Lord" (1914) · "Fight for Right" (1916) · "Inside the Bar" (1917)

The Fringes of the Fleet (1916): "The Lowestoft Boat", "Fate's Discourtesy", "Submarines", "The Sweepers"

Pageant of Empire (1924): "The Blue Mountains", "Shakespeare's Kingdom", "The Islands", "The Heart of Canada", "Sailing Westward", "Merchant Adventurers", "The Immortal Legions", "A Song of Union", "The Immortal Legions"