 | The Poems of A. C. Benson |  |
230
THE ROBIN AND THE CREDENCE
I
It was the blessed Christmas morn,
When for our solace Christ was born.
When for our solace Christ was born.
The Church was swept and garnished well;
The pine-boughs made a wholesome smell;
The pine-boughs made a wholesome smell;
Then, ere the great bells, far aloof,
Jangled and hummed above the roof,
Jangled and hummed above the roof,
In silence came the ancient priest,
To bless the house and set the feast.
To bless the house and set the feast.
He carved the bread of wheat-flour fine,
In chalice poured the fragrant wine,
In chalice poured the fragrant wine,
Soon by the spoken word to be
Instinct with deep Divinity.
Instinct with deep Divinity.
Then stored the credence point-device,
To serve the holy Mysteries,
To serve the holy Mysteries,
But ere the sacred veil he laid,
He humbly knelt, and softly prayed.
He humbly knelt, and softly prayed.
231
II
Meanwhile, across his ordered prayer,
Fell tender flutterings through the air,
Fell tender flutterings through the air,
Like dainty cherubs sailing by
On some light-hearted ministry,
On some light-hearted ministry,
A bird, incomparably drest
In downy cape and ruby vest,
In downy cape and ruby vest,
(That bird who roused the timid rage
Of serious folk on pilgrimage;
Of serious folk on pilgrimage;
He munched his spidery food, and made
Interpreter o'ershoot his trade:)
Interpreter o'ershoot his trade:)
He perched, and swooped, and shyly veered,—
The priest across his fingers peered;—
The priest across his fingers peered;—
Upon the credence lit and paced,
And found the banquet to his taste;
And found the banquet to his taste;
The food, he thought, that came at call,
Was set and consecrate for all
Was set and consecrate for all
Whoe'er the precinct duly trode,
For me, or any child of God.
For me, or any child of God.
He ate, approved, and ate his fill,
Then piped a grace with right goodwill.
Then piped a grace with right goodwill.
232
III
Then creaked the door: the ringers came,
Came clattering child, and feeble dame,
Came clattering child, and feeble dame,
To seek, like Anna, long and late,
Her Lord within the Temple gate;
Her Lord within the Temple gate;
Sir Redbreast saw them; at the view
The thankful sinner upward flew,
The thankful sinner upward flew,
There in the rafters pluming sate,
Aloft, secure, inviolate;—
Aloft, secure, inviolate;—
The old priest rising from his knees
Repaired the tiny ravages,
Repaired the tiny ravages,
It pleased him that the sacred feast
Was thus diminished, thus increased;
Was thus diminished, thus increased;
Though God, he thought, still waits to bless
The meat with grace and godliness,
The meat with grace and godliness,
Yet 'twas no harm (perchance he erred)
The benediction of a bird!
The benediction of a bird!
| The Poems of A. C. Benson | |