Foster's Melodies No. 34.
"Linger in Blissful Repose" (1858)
Written & Composed
(Poetry and Music) by
Stephen Collins Foster, 1826-1864

1.
Linger in blissful repose,
Free from all sorrowing care love,
While round thee melody flows,
Wafted on pinions of air love.
Let not thy visions depart,
Lured by the stars that are beaming,
Music will flow from my heart
While thy sweet spirit is dreaming.
Dreaming, dreaming, unfettered by the day,
In melody, in melody
I'll breathe I'll breathe my soul away.

2.
Softly the night winds are heard,
Sighing o'er mountain and dale, love,
Gently the vapors are stirred
Down in the shadowy vale love.
While o'er the dew covered plain,
Starlight in silence is gleaming,
Lightly I'll breathe a refrain
Bound the young heart that is dreaming.
Dreaming, dreaming, unfettered by the day,
In melody, in melody
I'll breathe I'll breathe my soul away.

[Note: melody was first published in 1854
as "Irene" in "The Social Orchestra" by Foster]