
i am in need of music that would flow over my fretful, feeling fingertips, over my bitter-tainted, trembling lips, with melody, deep, clear, and liquid-slow oh, for the healing swaying, old and low, of some song sung to rest the tired dead, a song to fall like water on my head, and over quivering limbs, dream flushed to glow there is a magic made by melody: a spell of rest, and quiet breath, and cool heart, that sinks through fading colors deep to the subaqueous stillness of the sea, and floats forever in a moon-green pool, held in the arms of rhythm and of sleep elizabeth bishop em "sonnet" . natick, 1928 .