Frenchman's Bay, Maine

Frenchman's Bay, Maine

Sunday, December 23, 2007

A Christmas Poem

"In the Bleak Midwinter" is a poem I've always liked, and this seems an appropriate time of year to post it.

In the Bleak Midwinter

In the bleak mid-winter
Frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron,
Water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow,
Snow on snow,
In the bleak mid-winter
Long ago.

Our God, Heaven cannot hold Him
Nor earth sustain;
Heaven and earth shall flee away
When He comes to reign:
In the bleak mid-winter
A stable-place sufficed
The Lord God Almighty,
Jesus Christ.

Enough for Him, whom cherubim
Worship night and day,
A breastful of milk
And a mangerful of hay;
Enough for Him, whom angels
Fall down before,
The ox and ass and camel
Which adore.

Angels and archangels
May have gathered there,
Cherubim and seraphim
Thronged the air,
But only His mother
In her maiden bliss,
Worshipped the Beloved
With a kiss.

What can I give Him,
Poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd
I would bring a lamb,
If I were a wise man
I would do my part,
Yet what I can I give Him,
Give my heart.

--Christina Rossetti (1872)

4 comments:

Ruth said...

I love this carol. On the BBC website last year, it was polled as the favourite Christmas carol in Britain.
Merry Christmas!

Holly said...

Beautiful. Merry Christmas!

Carmiña said...

Merry Christmas to you and your family

Betsy said...

Hope you're enjoying your holiday, Laurie! Warm wishes for a happy and healthy 2008! :-)