The poetical works of Robert Stephen Hawker Edited from the original manuscripts and annotated copies together with a prefatory notice and bibliography by Alfred Wallis |
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THE CHRISTMAS TREE. |
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 | The poetical works of Robert Stephen Hawker |  |
THE CHRISTMAS TREE.
She wandered through the city,
A lonely poor man's child;
The hardest heart would pity
That face so sad and mild.
A lonely poor man's child;
The hardest heart would pity
That face so sad and mild.
She heard the joy of voices,
For they kept their Christmas-tide;
But o'er that girl rejoices
Her God and none beside.
For they kept their Christmas-tide;
But o'er that girl rejoices
Her God and none beside.
214
It had pleased the Lord to gather
Her parents to their rest;
Her mother and her father,
And all who loved her best.
Her parents to their rest;
Her mother and her father,
And all who loved her best.
She saw them gaily bringing
Gifts for the Christmas-tree;
She heard sweet children singing,
But lone and sad was she!
Gifts for the Christmas-tree;
She heard sweet children singing,
But lone and sad was she!
“Alas!” she cried, “I only
Am shut out from their mirth;
O! why am I so lonely?
Thou Saviour of the Earth!”
Am shut out from their mirth;
O! why am I so lonely?
Thou Saviour of the Earth!”
Behold! her hand she raises,
With wonder and affright;
On a fair strange Child she gazes,
Clothed as in robes of light!
With wonder and affright;
On a fair strange Child she gazes,
Clothed as in robes of light!
“I was, like thee, a stranger,
A solitary birth;
I have gone through childhood's danger,
And sorrows of the earth.”
A solitary birth;
I have gone through childhood's danger,
And sorrows of the earth.”
“My name is Jesus! yonder
Those starry branches see;
No longer, lonely, wander,
It is thy Christmas-tree!”
Those starry branches see;
No longer, lonely, wander,
It is thy Christmas-tree!”
Then came an angel, gladly,
Forth from the silvery leaves;
Down where the maiden sadly,
Among the joyful, grieves.
Forth from the silvery leaves;
Down where the maiden sadly,
Among the joyful, grieves.
215
“Seek thou,” He said, “none other,
Thou wanderer of the wild;
Thy father and thy mother
Is Jesus, Mary's child!”
Thou wanderer of the wild;
Thy father and thy mother
Is Jesus, Mary's child!”
| The poetical works of Robert Stephen Hawker | |