Rilke for a very rainy, dark night

Randall Jarrell did this "adaptation" from Rilke. Adaptation, same as translation but more honest. Here, it's a raw, cold, rainy night and the wind sounds particularly harsh. Good night for this poem, one of my favorites.

A VARIATION ON "To Say To Go To Sleep"

If I could I would sing you to sleep.
I would give you my hand to keep
in yours 'til you fell asleep,
And take it away then, slowly.
I would sit by you and be.

In the world the dark would be deep.
I would watch. And at last, I would sleep.

But if rain should star the stream
of your sleep, I would whisper, "See
you are asleep" and slowly
your breath would change in your dream.
'Til ages and ages deep
in the dark, you would say to me
I love you.

I love you,
but I am here always.
Sleep now.
Sleep.

Randall Jarrell from Rilke