"His birth-bed shall be neither In housen nor in hall, Nor in the place of paradise, "He neither shall be rockèd That lieth in the mould. "He neither shall be washen With white wine nor with red, "He neither shall be clothed As Joseph was a-waukin', Then be you glad, good people, For His star it shineth clear. Unknown "BRIGHTEST AND BEST OF THE SONS OF THE MORNING" BRIGHTEST and best of the Sons of the morning! Star of the East, the horizon adorning, Guide where our Infant Redeemer is laid! Cold on His cradle the dewdrops are shining, Angels adore Him in slumber reclining, Maker and Monarch and Saviour of all! Christmas Bells Say, shall we yield Him, in costly devotion, Odors of Edom and offerings divine? Gems of the mountain and pearls of the ocean, Vainly we offer each ample oblation; Vainly with gifts would His favor secure: Richer by far is the heart's adoration; Dearer to God are the prayers of the poor. Brightest and best of the Sons of the morning! Guide where our Infant Redeemer is laid! 205 Reginald Heber [1783-1826] CHRISTMAS BELLS I HEARD the bells on Christmas Day And wild and sweet The words repeat Of peace on earth, good-will to men! And thought how, as the day had come, Had rolled along The unbroken song Of peace on earth, good-will to men! Till, ringing, singing on its way, A chant sublime Of peace on earth, good-will to men! Then from each black, accursed mouth The carols drowned Of peace on earth, good-will to men! It was as if an earthquake rent The households born Of peace on earth, good-will to men! And in despair I bowed my head; And mocks the song Of peace on earth, good-will to men!" Then pealed the bells more loud and deep: The Right prevail, With peace on earth, good-will to men!" Henry Wadsworth Longfellow [1807-1882] "RING OUT, WILD BELLS" From "In Memoriam" RING Out, wild bells, to the wild sky, Ring out the old, ring in the new; Ring out the grief that saps the mind, Ring out a slowly dying cause And ancient forms of party strife; Ring in the nobler modes of life, With sweeter manners, purer laws. Jest 'Fore Christmas Ring out false pride in place and blood, Ring in the love of truth and right, Ring out old shapes of foul disease, 207 Alfred Tennyson [1809-1892] JEST 'FORE CHRISTMAS FATHER calls me William, sister calls me Will, Mighty glad I ain't a girl-ruther be a boy, Without them sashes, curls, an' things that's worn by Fauntleroy! Love to chawnk green apples an' go swimmin' in the lakeHate to take the castor-ile they give for belly-ache! 'Most all the time, the whole year round, there ain't no flies on me, But jest 'fore Christmas I'm as good as I kin be! Got a yeller dog named Sport, sick him on the cat; Gran'ma says she hopes that when I git to be a man, But gran'ma she has never been to see a Wild West show, Nor read the Life of Daniel Boone, or else I guess she'd know That Buff 'lo Bill and cow-boys is good enough for me! And then old Sport he hangs around, so solemn-like an' still, The old cat sneaks down off her perch an' wonders what's become Of them two enemies of hern that used to make things hum! For Christmas, with its lots an' lots of candies, cakes, an' toys, Was made, they say, for proper kids an' not for naughty boys; So wash yer face an' bresh yer hair, an' mind yer p's an' q's, An' don't bust out yer pantaloons, an' don't wear out yer shoes; Say "Yessum" to the ladies, an' "Yessur" to the men, again; But, thinkin' of the things yer'd like to see upon that tree, Jest 'fore Christmas be as good as yer kin be! Eugene Field [1850-1895] SANTA CLAUS He comes in the night! He comes in the night! He softly, silently comes; While the little brown heads on the pillows so white Are dreaming of bugles and drums. He cuts through the snow like a ship through the foam, Who tells him I know not, but he findeth the home |