THREE DAMSELS in the queen-s chamber,
The queen-s mouth was most fair;
She spake a word of God-s mother
As the combs went in her hair.
Mary that is of might,
Bring us to thy Son-s sight.
They held the gold combs out from her,
A span-s length off her head;
She sang this song of God-s mother
And of her bearing-bed.
Mary most full of grace,
Bring us to thy Son-s face.
When she sat at Joseph-s hand,
She looked against her side;
And either way from the short silk band
Her girdle was all wried.
Mary that all good may,
Bring us to thy Son-s way.
Mary had three women for her bed,
The twain were maidens clean;
The first of them had white and red,
The third had riven green.
Mary that is so sweet,
Bring us to thy Son-s feet.
She had three women for her hair,
Two were gloved soft and shod;
The third had feet and fingers bare,
She was the likest God.
Mary that wieldeth land,
Bring us to thy Son-s hand.
She had three women for her ease,
The twain were good women:
The first two were the two Maries,
The third was Magdalen.
Mary that perfect is,
Bring us to thy Son-s kiss.
Joseph had three workmen in his stall,
To serve him well upon;
The first of them were Peter and Paul,
The third of them was John.
Mary, God-s handmaiden,
Bring us to thy Son-s ken.
-If your child be none other man-s,
But if it be very mine,
The bedstead shall be gold two spans,
The bedfoot silver fine.â?
Mary that made God mirth,
Bring us to thy Son-s birth.
-If the child be some other man-s,
And if it be none of mine,
The manger shall be straw two spans,
Betwixen kine and kine.â?
Mary that made sin cease,
Bring us to thy Son-s peace.
Christ was born upon this wise,
It fell on such a night,
Neither with sounds of psalteries,
Nor with fire for light.
Mary that is God-s spouse,
Bring us to thy Son-s house.
The star came out upon the east
With a great sound and sweet:
Kings gave gold to make him feast
And myrrh for him to eat.
Mary, of thy sweet mood,
Bring us to thy Son-s good.
He had two handmaids at his head,
One handmaid at his feet;
The twain of them were fair and red,
The third one was right sweet.
Mary that is most wise,
Bring us to thy Son-s eyes. Amen.
A Christmas Carol
Algernon Charles Swinburne
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Poem topics: birth, fire, green, house, kiss, light, night, peace, perfect, silver, song, star, white, great, face, mouth, clean, mood, short, soft, Print This Poem , Rhyme Scheme
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