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 | The Poetical Works of Aubrey De Vere |  |
XII. FEST. NATIVITATIS.
Primeval night had repossessed
Her empire in the fields of space;
Calm lay the kine on earth's dark breast;
The earth lay calm in heaven's embrace.
Her empire in the fields of space;
Calm lay the kine on earth's dark breast;
The earth lay calm in heaven's embrace.
That hour, where shepherds kept their flocks,
From God a glory sudden fell:
The splendour smote the trees and rocks,
And lay, like dew, along the dell.
From God a glory sudden fell:
The splendour smote the trees and rocks,
And lay, like dew, along the dell.
God's Angel close beside them stood:
‘Fear nought,’ that Angel said, and then,
‘Behold, I bring you tidings good:
The Saviour Christ is born to men.’
‘Fear nought,’ that Angel said, and then,
‘Behold, I bring you tidings good:
The Saviour Christ is born to men.’
And straightway round him myriads sang
Again that anthem, and again,
Till all the hollow valley rang,
‘Glory to God, and peace to men.’
Again that anthem, and again,
Till all the hollow valley rang,
‘Glory to God, and peace to men.’
17
Thus in the violet-scented grove,
The May breeze murmuring softly by them,
The children sang. Who Mary love
The long year through have Christmas nigh them!
The May breeze murmuring softly by them,
The children sang. Who Mary love
The long year through have Christmas nigh them!
| The Poetical Works of Aubrey De Vere | |