Seasonal Things - Various

Hello

   I have chosen to call this blog "Seasonal Things," because some of the poems have to do with Christmas as a celebration of the birth of Christ, while others have to do with ideas or things associated with Christmas; that probably have more to do with Charles Dickens and the images that have come to us through literature, more generally and Christmas cards etc.

   In terms of the passage of time, I have tried to keep the poems in chronological order. I hope you enjoy them, and I will be adding more.

   Sorry, but I don’t do snow, holly or tinsel, or berries, frozen lakes, or robins on this space, (because I haven't got the talent.) But I am told that even though you can't see it, snow is falling everywhere and there is a log fire burning in the background. Can't you feel the heat? And Happy Christmas to you too.

“Hail Queen Of Heaven”
(Anon 15c)

Hail, Queen of Heaven and star of bliss!
Since that thy son thy father is,
How should He any thing thee warn,
And thou His mother and He thy bairn?

Hail, fresh fountain that springs new,
The root and crop of all virtue,
Thou polished gem without offence-
Thou bare the Lamb of Innocence
_____

On the Blessed Virgin’s Bashfulness
(By Richard Crashaw 1612-1649?-1649)


That on her lap she casts her humble eye
’Tis the sweet pride of her humility.
The fair star is well fixed, for where, O where
Could she have fixed it on a fairer sphere?
‘Tis Heaven, ‘tis Heaven she sees, Heaven’s God there lies:
She can see Heaven and ne’er lift up her eyes.
This new guest to her eyes new laws hath given:
‘Twas once look up, ‘tis now look down to Heaven.
_____

A Hymn On The Nativity Of My Saviour
           (By Ben Jonson 1572-1637)

I sing the birth, was born tonight,
The author both of life, and light;
The angels so did sound it,
And like the ravished shepherds said,
Who saw the light and were afraid,
Yet searched, and true they found it.
_____

                  Nativite
       (By John Donne 1572-1631)   

Immensitie cloysterd in thy deare wombe,
Now leaves his welbelov’d imprisonment,
There he hath made himselfe to his intent
Weake enough, now into our world to come;
But oh, for thee, for him, hath th’ inne no room?
Yet lay him in this stall, and from the Orient,
Starres, and wisemen will travell to prevent
Th’effect of Herods jealous general doome;
Seest thou, thou my Soule, with thy faiths eyes, how he
Which fils all place, yet none holds him, doth lye?
Was not his pity towards thee wondrous high,
That would have need to be pitied by thee?
Kisse him, and with him into Egypt goe,
With his kinde mother, who partakes thy woe.
_____

          The Lamb
 (By William Blake 1757-1827)

Little lamb, who made thee?
Dost thou know who made thee,
Gave thee life and bade thee feed
By the streams and o’er the mead—
Gave thee clothing of delight,
Softest clothing, woolly bright,
Gave thee such a tender voice,
Making all the vales rejoice?
Little lamb who made thee,
Dost thou know who made thee?

Little lamb, I’ll tell thee,
Little lamb, I’ll tell thee!
He is called by thy name,
For he calls himself a Lamb;
He is meek and he is mild,
He became a little child;
I a child, and thou a lamb,
We are called by his name.
Little lamb, God bless thee,
Little lamb, God bless thee!
_____

                The Nurse’s Song
                 (By William Blake)

When the voices of children are heard on the green
And laughing is heard on the hill,
My heart is at rest within my breast,
And everything else is still.

“Then come home, my children, the sun is gone down,
And the dews of night arise;
Come, come leave off play, and let us away
Till the morning appears in the skies.”

“No, no, let us play, for it is yet day,
And we cannot go to sleep;
Besides, in the sky the little birds fly,
And the hills are all covered with sheep.”

“Well, well, go and play till the light fades away,
And then go home to bed.”
The little ones leaped and shouted and laughed,
And all the hills echoed.
_____

         I Saw A Stable
   (By Mary Coleridge 1861-1907)

I saw a stable, low and very bare,
   A little child in the manger.
The oxen knew Him, had him in their care,
   To men he was a stranger.
The safety of the world was lying there,
   And the world’s danger.
_____

              Maternity
      (By Alice Meynell 1847-1922)

One-wept whose only child was dead,
New-born ten years ago.
“Weep not; he is in bliss,” they said.
She answered, “Even so,

“Ten years ago was born in pain
A child, not now forlorn.
But oh, ten years ago in vain,
A mother, a mother was born.”
_____

                    The Owl
            (By Edward Thomas 1878-1917 )

Downhill I came, hungry, and yet not starved;
Cold, yet had heat within me that was proof
Against the north wind; tired, yet so that rest
Had seemed the sweetest thing under a roof.

Then at the inn I had food, fire, and rest,
Knowing how hungry, cold, and tired was I.
All of the night was quite barred out except
An owl’s cry, a most melancholy cry.

Shaken out long and clear upon the hill,
No merry note, nor cause of merriment,
But one telling me plain what I escaped
And others could not, that night, as in I went.

And salted was my food, and my repose,
Salted and sobered, too, by the bird’s voice
Speaking for all who lay under the stars,
Soldiers and poor, unable to rejoice.
_____

The Robin
(By Thomas Hardy 1840-1928)

When up aloft
I fly and fly,
And see in pools
The shining sky,
And a happy bird
Am I, am I !

When I descend
Towards their brink
I stand, and look
And stoop and drink,
And bathe my wings.
And chink and prink.

When winter frost
Makes earth as steel
I search and search
But find no meal,
And most unhappy
Then I feel.

But when it lasts
And snows still fall,
I get to feel
No grief at all,
For I turn to a cold stiff
Feathery Ball !
_____

The Donkey
(Anon)
I saw a donkey one day old
His head was too big
For his neck to hold
His legs were shaky
And long and loose
They rocked and staggered
And weren't much use

He tried to gambol
And frisk a bit
But he wasn't quite sure
Of the trick of it
His queer little coat
Was soft and grey
And he curled at the neck
In a lovely way

He looked so little
And weak and slim
I prayed the world
Might be good to him
_____

             The Donkey
 (By G. K. Chesterton 1874-1936)

When forests walked and fishes flew
And figs grew upon thorn,
Some moment when the moon was blood,
Then, surely, I was born.

With monstrous head and sickening bray
And ears like errant wings—
The devil's walking parody
Of all four-footed things:

The battered outlaw of the earth
Of ancient crooked will;
Scourge, beat, deride me—I am dumb—
I keep my secret still.

Fools! For I also had my hour—
One far fierce hour and sweet:
There was a shout around my head
And palms about my feet.
 _____

                    Shepherdess
     (By Norman Cameron 1905-1953)

All day my sheep have mingled with yours. They strayed
Into your valley seeking a change of ground.
Held and bemused with what they and I had found,
Pastures and wonders, heedlessly I delayed.

Now it is late. The tracks leading home are steep,
The stars and landmarks in your country are strange.
How can I take my sheep back over the range?
Shepherdess show me now where I may sleep.
_____

  Christmas Morning

               I

Come all you weary wanderers ,
   Beneath the wintry sky ;
This day forget your worldly cares ,
   And lay your sorrows by ;
Awake, and sing ;
   The church bells ring ;
For this is Christmas morning.

              II
With grateful hearts salute the morn,
   And swell the streams of song,
That laden with great joy are born,
   The willing air along;
The tidings thrill
   With right good will;
For this is Christmas morning!

               III
We 'll twine the fresh green holly wreath.
   And make the yewl-log grow;
And gather gaily underneath
   The winking mistletoe;
All blithe and bright
   By the glad fire-light;
For this is Christmas morning!

              IV
Come sing the carols old and true,
   That mind us of good cheer,
And, like a heavenly fall of dew,
   Revive the drooping year;
And fill us up
   A wassail-cup;
For this is Christmas morning.

               V
To all poor souls we ll strew the feast,
   With kindly heart and free;
Our Father owns us, and, at least,
   To-day we 'll brothers be;
Away with pride
   This holy tide;
For it is Christmas morning!

               VI
So now, God bless us one and all
   With hearts and hearthstones warm;
And may He prosper great and small,
   And keep us out of harm;
And teach us still
   His sweet good-will,
This merry Christmas morning!
______

Taken from Poems & Songs of Old Lancashire

   Christmas Carol
              
                   I
   Long time ago in Palestine,
      Upon a wintry morn,
    All in a lowly cattle shed,
The Prince of Peace was born,

                  II
The clouds fled from the gloomy sky;
      The winds in silence lay;
And the stars shone bright, with strange delight
      To welcome in that day.

                III
His parents they were simple folk,
And simple lives they led;
And in the ways of righteousness
This little child was bred.

               IV
In gentle thought and gentle deed,
     His early days went by;
And the light His youthful steps did lead
   Came down from heaven on high.

               V
He was the friend of all the poor
      That wander here below;
     It was his only joy on earth
To ease them of their woe.

               VI
In pain He trod His holy path,
   By sorrow sorely tried;
It was for all mankind he lived,
   And for mankind he died.

                VII
Like Him let us be just and pure,
      Like him be true always;
That we may find the peace of mind
      That never fades away.

_____
Taken from: Poems &; Songs
of Old Lancashire
__________
Cormac E. McCloskey

Note: This blog, "Seasona Things - Various", was originally published, by me, on Windows Live Messenger on 10th December 2005