Friday, December 24, 2010

In the Bleak Mid-Winter

This is probably my favorite Christmas carol, with a text by Victorian poet and Pre-Raphaelite sister Christina Rossetti.  A happy and blessed Christmas to all.
 
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.

5 comments:

Rodak said...

Merry Christmas, Pentimento!

Pentimento said...

Backatcha, R.

Sally Thomas said...

Probably my favorite carol, too, though it's so hard to choose!

Merry Christmas to you and yours, and prayers for joy in the coming year.

Pentimento said...

Merry Christmas to you and your family, Sally.

Melanie Bettinelli said...

Definitely one of my favorites! Blessed Christmas to you and yours.