 | Twilight Songs |  |
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THREE CHRISTMAS CAROLS.
I. BY THE CRIB.
The small child-angels
New 'scaped from Heaven,
Like a flight of rose-leaves
On snow new driven.
New 'scaped from Heaven,
Like a flight of rose-leaves
On snow new driven.
They came hurrying, winging
To the stable stall,
Like a bush of roses
On a June wall.
To the stable stall,
Like a bush of roses
On a June wall.
They perched by the manger
In rafter and roof,
For their wings the stable
Was weather proof.
In rafter and roof,
For their wings the stable
Was weather proof.
There were kings and shepherds
And the sheep-dog came,
The ass and oxen
And a new-born lamb.
And the sheep-dog came,
The ass and oxen
And a new-born lamb.
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Lions and tigers
Knelt in the door,
Their wrath forgotten,
And their warefare o'er.
Knelt in the door,
Their wrath forgotten,
And their warefare o'er.
The wren and robin
Came hopping in:
And the snake came wriggling
With his spotted skin.
Came hopping in:
And the snake came wriggling
With his spotted skin.
Here all Creation
To the Feast bid
Came loving and weeping
And saw, unchid.
To the Feast bid
Came loving and weeping
And saw, unchid.
The small child angels
Like golden bees
Were singing and singing
A song of Peace.
Like golden bees
Were singing and singing
A song of Peace.
And all Creation
Sang with the stars,
That the Peace was signed
And an end of wars.
Sang with the stars,
That the Peace was signed
And an end of wars.
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II. IN TIME OF NEED.
Never we needed Thee so sore
Since the first day began,
O, come and knock at the world's door,
Small Son of God and Man!
And if it ope not to Thy knock
Shrill crying in the cold,
Break down the heart hard as a rock
And enter and lay hold!
Since the first day began,
O, come and knock at the world's door,
Small Son of God and Man!
And if it ope not to Thy knock
Shrill crying in the cold,
Break down the heart hard as a rock
And enter and lay hold!
Not when they slew our young, and marred
The beauty, smooth and clean,
Not then, not then, our hearts were hard,
Arid and cold and mean.
For now the weak are down, and Hate,
And Avarice, and Pride,
These are the Lords within our gate,
O Child, be not denied!
The beauty, smooth and clean,
Not then, not then, our hearts were hard,
Arid and cold and mean.
For now the weak are down, and Hate,
And Avarice, and Pride,
These are the Lords within our gate,
O Child, be not denied!
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O, not in nineteen hundred years
We needed Thee as to-night.
Yest're'en we washed us clean with tears,
Their scarlet washed us white,
There is not one green spot on earth
Where men nor hate nor grieve.
O child, come to our hour of dearth
And bid the dead heart live.
We needed Thee as to-night.
Yest're'en we washed us clean with tears,
Their scarlet washed us white,
There is not one green spot on earth
Where men nor hate nor grieve.
O child, come to our hour of dearth
And bid the dead heart live.
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III. THE THORNS.
Our Lady's heart had Seven Swords
And they had pierced it clean,
The Babe that lay within her arms
Pressed the first Sword in.
And they had pierced it clean,
The Babe that lay within her arms
Pressed the first Sword in.
Jesus Christ, her dearest Lord
Was hidden in her breast,
And He was like a little sword
That would not give her rest.
Was hidden in her breast,
And He was like a little sword
That would not give her rest.
With lullaby-loo my Baby love;
My Rose hath sharpest thorn,
For He hath pierced my heart through
Upon this Christmas Morn.
My Rose hath sharpest thorn,
For He hath pierced my heart through
Upon this Christmas Morn.
And when she lulled Him into sleep
She saw what should befall:
The people crying “Crucify!”
And the three Crosses tall.
She saw what should befall:
The people crying “Crucify!”
And the three Crosses tall.
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Bethlehem is a quiet place,
And sweet is Nazareth;
But He was doomed, her Tender One,
From the hour He drew breath.
And sweet is Nazareth;
But He was doomed, her Tender One,
From the hour He drew breath.
Her Babe He lay sweet and close
Upon his Mother's heart,
But she hath gotten a thorny Rose
To give her dule and smart.
Upon his Mother's heart,
But she hath gotten a thorny Rose
To give her dule and smart.
Seven sharp Swords Our Lady had,
And Seven Words He said
The day they hung Him 'twixt two thieves
With the Thorns for His Head.
And Seven Words He said
The day they hung Him 'twixt two thieves
With the Thorns for His Head.
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