Christmas in Poetry

A CHRISTMAS CAROL

 
God bless the master of this house,
The mistress also,
And all the little children,
That round the table go.
 
 
And all your kin and folk,
That dwell both far and near;
I wish you a merry Christmas,
And a happy New Year.
 

Old English Carol

FROM FAR AWAY

 
From far away we come to you.
The snow in the street, and the wind on the door,
To tell of great tidings, strange and true.
Minstrels and maids, stand forth on the floor.
From far away we come to you,
To tell of great tidings, strange and true.
 
 
For as we wandered far and wide,
The snow in the street, and the wind on the door,
What hap do you deem there should us betide?
Minstrels and maids, stand forth on the floor.
 
 
Under a bent when the night was deep,
The snow in the street, and the wind on the door,
There lay three shepherds, tending their sheep.
Minstrels and maids, stand forth on the floor.
 
 
“O ye shepherds, what have ye seen,
The snow in the street, and the wind on the door,
To stay your sorrow and heal your teen?”
Minstrels and maids, stand forth on the floor.
 
 
“In an ox stall this night we saw,
The snow in the street, and the wind on the door,
A Babe and a maid without a flaw.
Minstrels and maids, stand forth on the floor.
 
 
“There was an old man there beside;
The snow in the street, and the wind on the door,
His hair was white, and his hood was wide.
Minstrels and maids, stand forth on the floor.
 
 
“And as we gazed this thing upon,
The snow in the street, and the wind on the door,
Those twain knelt down to the little one.
Minstrels and maids, stand forth on the floor.
 
 
“And a marvellous song we straight did hear,
The snow in the street, and the wind on the door.
That slew our sorrow and healed our care.”
Minstrels and maids, stand forth on the floor.
 
 
News of a fair and marvellous thing,
The snow in the street, and the wind on the door,
Nowell, Nowell, Nowell, we sing.
Minstrels and maids, stand forth on the floor.
From far away we come to you,
To tell of great tidings, strange and true.
 

William Morris

LORDINGS, LISTEN TO OUR LAY

 
Lordings, listen to our lay —
We have come from far away
To seek Christmas;
In this mansion we are told
He His yearly feast doth hold:
’Tis to-day!
May joy come from God above,
To all those who Christmas love.
 

Old Carol

’TWAS JOLLY, JOLLY WAT

 
’Twas jolly, jolly Wat, my foy,
He was a goodman’s shepherd boy,
And he sat by his sheep
On the hill-side so steep,
And piped this song,
Ut hoy! Ut hoy!
O merry, merry sing for joy,
Ut hoy!
 
 
A’down from Heav’n that is so high
There came an angel companye,
And on Bethlehem hill
Thro’ the night-tide so still
Their song out-rang:
On high, On high,
O glory be to God on high,
On high!
 
 
Now must Wat go where Christ is born,
Yea, go and come again to-morn.
And my pipe it shall play,
All my heart it doth say
To Shepherd King:
Ut hoy! Ut hoy!
O merry, merry sing for joy,
Ut hoy!
 
 
O peace on earth, good will to men,
The angels sang again, again,
For to you was He born
On this Christmas morn,
So sing we all:
On high, On high,
O glory be to God on high,
On high!
 
 
Jesu my King, it’s naught for Thee,
A bob of cherries, one, two, three,
But my tar-box and ball,
And my pipe, I give all
To Thee, my King.
Ut hoy! Ut hoy!
O merry, merry sing for joy,
Ut hoy!
 
 
Farewell, herd-boy, saith Mary mild.
Thanks, jolly Wat, smiled Mary’s child,
For fit gift for a king
Is your heart in the thing.
So pipe you well,
For joy, for joy!
O merry, merry sing for joy,
Ut hoy!
 

C. W. Stubbs

BOOTS AND SADDLES

 
Our shepherds all
As pilgrims have departed,
Our shepherds all
Have gone to Bethlehem.
They gladly go
For they are all stout-hearted,
They gladly go —
Ah, could I go with them!
 
 
I am too lame to walk,
Boots and saddles, boots and saddles,
I am too lame to walk,
Boots and saddles, mount and ride.
 
 
A shepherd stout
Who sang a catamiaulo,
A shepherd stout
Was walking lazily.
He heard me speak
And saw me hobbling after,
He turned and said
He would give help to me.
 
 
“Here is my horse
That flies along the high-road,
Here is my horse,
The best in all the towns.
I bought him from
A soldier in the army,
I got my horse
By payment of five crowns.”
 
 
When I have seen
The Child, the King of Heaven,
When I have seen
The Child who is God’s son,
When to the mother,
I my praise have given,
When I have finished,
All I should have done:
 
 
No more shall I be lame,
Boots and saddles, boots and saddles,
No more shall I be lame,
Boots and saddles, mount and ride.
 

Provençal Noël of Nicholas Saboly

Included by permission of The H. W. Gray Company.