Song Meaning
The lyrics open with a tender plea to "sad fountains" to cease their flow, urging a stop to visible sorrow. A beloved figure is "sleeping," a state of quiet repose. The speaker observes the natural world, noting how "snowy mountains" gently melt under the sun. This establishes a scene of gentle natural cycles alongside a profound personal stillness.
A central tension emerges from the contrast between the persistent "weeping" and the serene "sleeping." The speaker points out that the beloved's "heavenly eyes" do not witness this sorrow, implying a disconnect or a desire to shield them. The "fountains" and "sad eyes" are personified, suggesting an internal struggle with grief that the speaker wishes to quiet, perhaps for the sake of the sleeping individual.
The craft here masterfully employs a recurring sun motif, creating a poignant parallel. The literal sun "doth gently waste" the mountains, a natural cycle of change, while "my sun's heavenly eyes" refer to the sleeping person, elevating their presence to a celestial force. This metaphor suggests the beloved is a source of light and life, now in a state of quietude. The speaker then asks if the sun doesn't "rise smiling" after it sets, drawing a hopeful parallel between daily cycles and the idea of rest as a precursor to renewal.
The effectiveness of these lyrics lies in their quiet, almost whispered attempt at reconciliation. "Sleep is a reconciling," the speaker asserts, framing rest as a path to peace. The repeated phrase "softly now, softly lies" acts like a gentle lullaby, imbuing the scene with a tender, mournful acceptance of the "sleeping" state. The lyrics don't offer a grand resolution, but rather a delicate, persistent call for inner calm in the face of deep, quiet sorrow.
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