 | The Burden of the Bell and Other Lyrics |  |
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THE NIGHT OF THE NATIVITY.
(A COMMEMORATION)
Silence, deep and solemn and unbroken,
Like a death-hush fallen from the sky;—
As of some dread mystery the token,
Seemed that silence breathless and unbroken—
Pale and wan the stars looked out on high.
Like a death-hush fallen from the sky;—
As of some dread mystery the token,
Seemed that silence breathless and unbroken—
Pale and wan the stars looked out on high.
'Twas as though, unseen, some mighty spirit,
High dispenser of Heaven's minist'rings,
Had come down a mission to inherit,
And that Earth, in awe of that great spirit,
Struck to torpor all her vocal things.
High dispenser of Heaven's minist'rings,
Had come down a mission to inherit,
And that Earth, in awe of that great spirit,
Struck to torpor all her vocal things.
Tree, I said, that standest ghostly, hushing
All thy thousand pulses . . and thou, stream,
Through the misty meadows mutely rushing—
Say, what means this ominous strange hushing?
Is Earth trance-bound in some mystic dream?
All thy thousand pulses . . and thou, stream,
Through the misty meadows mutely rushing—
Say, what means this ominous strange hushing?
Is Earth trance-bound in some mystic dream?
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Then a sound, so low it seemed scarce spoken,
Blended voice of wind and stream and tree,
Answered—“Leave our quiet still unbroken—
At this hallowed hour no word be spoken!
Silence suiteth best its sanctity.
Blended voice of wind and stream and tree,
Answered—“Leave our quiet still unbroken—
At this hallowed hour no word be spoken!
Silence suiteth best its sanctity.
For on night like this,—oh! love eternal!—
Wafted downward 'mid ecstatic strains,
Came the angels from their courts supernal;
Came to tell their tale of love eternal
To the shepherds on the Syrian plains.
Wafted downward 'mid ecstatic strains,
Came the angels from their courts supernal;
Came to tell their tale of love eternal
To the shepherds on the Syrian plains.
In the moonlight hovered the white legion,
Heaven revealing to the mortal ken,
And the echoes of the lonely region
Keep e'en yet the words of that bright legion—
“Peace on earth” they said—“Good will to men!”
Heaven revealing to the mortal ken,
And the echoes of the lonely region
Keep e'en yet the words of that bright legion—
“Peace on earth” they said—“Good will to men!”
Ay, and not the Syrian echoes solely,
All Earth holds that memory undefiled;
So when Time brings round, in advent holy,
This blest eve, we hear their accents solely
Angel accents, murmuring meek and mild.
All Earth holds that memory undefiled;
So when Time brings round, in advent holy,
This blest eve, we hear their accents solely
Angel accents, murmuring meek and mild.
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And the stars shine pale and wan with wonder,
For they hear afar rich melody,
Rolling wave on wave, a rythmic thunder,
Deep and deeper—sound of awe and wonder!
All God's seraphs shouting joyfully.
For they hear afar rich melody,
Rolling wave on wave, a rythmic thunder,
Deep and deeper—sound of awe and wonder!
All God's seraphs shouting joyfully.
For this cause, we keep mute watch, O mortal;—
Do thou likewise—to our task incline;
Enter straight thine heart's unfolded portal,
Hush each clamouring utterance of Earth's Mortal,—
Hearken only unto God's Divine.
Do thou likewise—to our task incline;
Enter straight thine heart's unfolded portal,
Hush each clamouring utterance of Earth's Mortal,—
Hearken only unto God's Divine.
Lusts of life, thy true vocation shaming,
Thrust them forth from consecrated ground!
Hear instead, the angels still proclaiming—
Hear them say, each angry passion shaming,
“Peace on earth,—good will!”—Oh! blessëd sound!
Thrust them forth from consecrated ground!
Hear instead, the angels still proclaiming—
Hear them say, each angry passion shaming,
“Peace on earth,—good will!”—Oh! blessëd sound!
Ceased the voice:—'twas true, methought, a spirit,
High dispenser of God's gifts to men,
Had come down, a mission to inherit,
And I bowed before that awful spirit,
And I wrestled with my nature then;
High dispenser of God's gifts to men,
Had come down, a mission to inherit,
And I bowed before that awful spirit,
And I wrestled with my nature then;
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Wrestled, praying..God, above the glory!
Still this tumult,—let my soul take in
All the meaning of that olden story,
All its simple truth, and chastened glory,
Lost too long 'mid Babel strife within.
Still this tumult,—let my soul take in
All the meaning of that olden story,
All its simple truth, and chastened glory,
Lost too long 'mid Babel strife within.
And not this night only, but for ever,
Aid me too, to hold that memory fast—
For a holy spell to calm life's fever,
Till its restless flame dies out for ever,
And the peace of heaven is won at last.
Aid me too, to hold that memory fast—
For a holy spell to calm life's fever,
Till its restless flame dies out for ever,
And the peace of heaven is won at last.
| The Burden of the Bell and Other Lyrics | |