Christina Rosetti Today I'd like to share a poem my nine year old is copying - she will be finishing it this week, then giving it to her grandmother for Christmas. She copies a stanza and illustrates that stanza (I printed some paper from Donna Young's website for this purpose). It is a beautiful poem - last year we just memorized the last stanza, but this year we're going for the whole thing!
Christina Rosetti wrote the poem and it was set to music (a hymn) by Holst in 1906. Fine poetry and music like this is a gift we can give to our children.
In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,
In the bleak midwinter, long ago.
Our God, Heaven cannot hold Him, nor earth sustain;
Heaven and earth shall flee away when He comes to reign.
In the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed
The Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ.
Enough for Him, whom cherubim, worship night and day,
Breastful of milk, and a mangerful of hay;
Enough for Him, whom angels fall before,
The ox and ass and camel which adore.
Angels and archangels may have gathered there,
Cherubim and seraphim thronged the air;
But His mother only, in her maiden bliss,
Worshipped the beloved with a kiss.
What can I give Him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;
If I were a Wise Man, I would do my part;
Yet what I can I give Him: give my heart.
*This post is linked to Mustard Seed Planting at Mom's Mustard Seeds - visit Rebecca's blog for inspiration.