![]() | A Little Book of XXIV Carols | ![]() |
15
CHRISTMAS EVE
It was the death-time of the year—
Sing, Gloria in Excelsis De!
How chill, how keen the stars appear!
The frost is on each grey grass-spear,
And frozen white are river and mere.
Sing, Gloria in Excelsis De!
How chill, how keen the stars appear!
The frost is on each grey grass-spear,
And frozen white are river and mere.
All human folk are houséd warm—
Sing, Gloria in Excelsis De!
With light and fire 'gainst night and storm.
And little children, safe from harm,
Each in its tender mother's arm.
Sing, Gloria in Excelsis De!
With light and fire 'gainst night and storm.
And little children, safe from harm,
Each in its tender mother's arm.
Like the swan's plume the snows are spread—
Sing, Gloria in Excelsis De!
With Christ's dear mother lacking bed.
All doors are shut against her need,
Except the humble cattle-shed.
Sing, Gloria in Excelsis De!
With Christ's dear mother lacking bed.
All doors are shut against her need,
Except the humble cattle-shed.
Shake down the grass for her to lie—
Sing, Gloria in Excelsis De!
And bid the quiet beasts draw nigh.
All Heaven shall now abase its eye,
Nor view the Birth so Heavenly.
Sing, Gloria in Excelsis De!
And bid the quiet beasts draw nigh.
All Heaven shall now abase its eye,
Nor view the Birth so Heavenly.
16
Alone upon that holy ground—
Sing, Gloria in Excelsis De!
The ass and oxen knelt in swound.
While Bedlam lay in slumber bound,
The ass, the ox, were worthy found.
Sing, Gloria in Excelsis De!
The ass and oxen knelt in swound.
While Bedlam lay in slumber bound,
The ass, the ox, were worthy found.
Before the Kings and Shepherds these—
Sing, Gloria in Excelsis De!
And Powers and Principalities.
With ass and oxen on their knees,
He doth exalt all lowliness.
Sing, Gloria in Excelsis De!
And Powers and Principalities.
With ass and oxen on their knees,
He doth exalt all lowliness.
Oh, dull and sin-clogged hearts of men—
Sing, Gloria in Excelsis De!
With frost upon the window pane,
God save ye, merry gentlemen:
For Christ, Our Lord, is born again.
Sing, Gloria in Excelsis De!
With frost upon the window pane,
God save ye, merry gentlemen:
For Christ, Our Lord, is born again.
![]() | A Little Book of XXIV Carols | ![]() |