In The Holy Nativity Of Our Lord Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABBCC DEFEGH IBIBJKA ALALAAA AAA MAMAAAA AAN OLPLBBA QRSRTTA TTA OUOUVVA VVA SWSWXXA XXA ASASYYA YYA ZWZWAAA AAN OLPLBBA BBA BA2BA2TT B2AB2ARR AAAAC2C2 AWAWD2D2 EAEAAACHORUS | A |
Come we shepherds whose blest sight | B |
Hath met love's noon in nature's night | B |
Come lift we up our loftier song | C |
And wake the sun that lies too long | C |
- | |
To all our world of well stol'n joy | D |
He slept and dreamt of no such thing | E |
While we found out heav'n's fairer eye | F |
And kiss'd the cradle of our King | E |
Tell him he rises now too late | G |
To show us aught worth looking at | H |
- | |
Tell him we now can show him more | I |
Than he e'er show'd to mortal sight | B |
Than he himself e'er saw before | I |
Which to be seen needs not his light | B |
Tell him Tityrus where th' hast been | J |
Tell him Thyrsis what th' hast seen | K |
TITYRUS | A |
- | |
Gloomy night embrac'd the place | A |
Where the Noble Infant lay | L |
The Babe look'd up and show'd his face | A |
In spite of darkness it was day | L |
It was thy day Sweet and did rise | A |
Not from the east but from thine eyes | A |
CHORUS | A |
- | |
It was thy day Sweet and did rise | A |
Not from the east but from thine eyes | A |
THYRSIS | A |
- | |
Winter chid aloud and sent | M |
The angry North to wage his wars | A |
The North forgot his fierce intent | M |
And left perfumes instead of scars | A |
By those sweet eyes' persuasive pow'rs | A |
Where he meant frost he scatter'd flow'rs | A |
CHORUS | A |
- | |
By those sweet eyes' persuasive pow'rs | A |
Where he meant frost he scatter'd flow'rs | A |
BOTH | N |
- | |
We saw thee in thy balmy nest | O |
Young dawn of our eternal day | L |
We saw thine eyes break from their east | P |
And chase the trembling shades away | L |
We saw thee and we bless'd the sight | B |
We saw thee by thine own sweet light | B |
TITYRUS | A |
- | |
Poor World said I what wilt thou do | Q |
To entertain this starry stranger | R |
Is this the best thou canst bestow | S |
A cold and not too cleanly manger | R |
Contend ye powers of heav'n and earth | T |
To fit a bed for this huge birth | T |
CHORUS | A |
- | |
Contend ye powers of heav'n and earth | T |
To fit a bed for this huge birth | T |
THYRSIS | A |
- | |
Proud World said I cease your contest | O |
And let the Mighty Babe alone | U |
The ph oe nix builds the ph oe nix' nest | O |
Love's architecture is his own | U |
The Babe whose birth embraves this morn | V |
Made his own bed ere he was born | V |
CHORUS | A |
- | |
The Babe whose birth embraves this morn | V |
Made his own bed ere he was born | V |
TITYRUS | A |
- | |
I saw the curl'd drops soft and slow | S |
Come hovering o'er the place's head | W |
Off'ring their whitest sheets of snow | S |
To furnish the fair Infant's bed | W |
Forbear said I be not too bold | X |
Your fleece is white but 'tis too cold | X |
CHORUS | A |
- | |
Forbear said I be not too bold | X |
Your fleece is white but 'tis too cold | X |
THYRSIS | A |
- | |
I saw the obsequious Seraphims | A |
Their rosy fleece of fire bestow | S |
For well they now can spare their wings | A |
Since Heav'n itself lies here below | S |
Well done said I but are you sure | Y |
Your down so warm will pass for pure | Y |
CHORUS | A |
- | |
Well done said I but are you sure | Y |
Your down so warm will pass for pure | Y |
TITYRUS | A |
- | |
No no your King's not yet to seek | Z |
Where to repose his royal head | W |
See see how soon his new bloom'd cheek | Z |
'Twixt's mother's breasts is gone to bed | W |
Sweet choice said we no way but so | A |
Not to lie cold yet sleep in snow | A |
CHORUS | A |
- | |
Sweet choice said we no way but so | A |
Not to lie cold yet sleep in snow | A |
BOTH | N |
- | |
We saw thee in thy balmy nest | O |
Bright dawn of our eternal day | L |
We saw thine eyes break from their east | P |
And chase the trembling shades away | L |
We saw thee and we bless'd the sight | B |
We saw thee by thine own sweet light | B |
CHORUS | A |
- | |
We saw thee and we bless'd the sight | B |
We saw thee by thine own sweet light | B |
FULL CHORUS | A |
- | |
Welcome all wonders in one sight | B |
Eternity shut in a span | A2 |
Summer in winter day in night | B |
Heaven in earth and God in man | A2 |
Great little one whose all embracing birth | T |
Lifts earth to heaven stoops heav'n to earth | T |
- | |
Welcome though nor to gold nor silk | B2 |
To more than C ae sar's birthright is | A |
Two sister seas of virgin milk | B2 |
With many a rarely temper'd kiss | A |
That breathes at once both maid and mother | R |
Warms in the one cools in the other | R |
- | |
Welcome though not to those gay flies | A |
Gilded i' th' beams of earthly kings | A |
Slippery souls in smiling eyes | A |
But to poor shepherds homespun things | A |
Whose wealth's their flock whose wit to be | C2 |
Well read in their simplicity | C2 |
- | |
Yet when young April's husband show'rs | A |
Shall bless the fruitful Maia's bed | W |
We'll bring the first born of her flow'rs | A |
To kiss thy feet and crown thy head | W |
To thee dread Lamb whose love must keep | D2 |
The shepherds more than they the sheep | D2 |
- | |
To thee meek Majesty soft King | E |
Of simple graces and sweet loves | A |
Each of us his lamb will bring | E |
Each his pair of silver doves | A |
Till burnt at last in fire of thy fair eyes | A |
Ourselves become our own best sacrifice | A |
Richard Crashaw
(1)
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