In The Holy Nativity Of Our Lord God: A Hymn Sung As By Shepherds Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AABB CDEDFG HAHAIJ KLKLMM MM NONPQQ QQ RLSLAA TUVUWW WW RXRXYY YY VZVZA2A2 A2A2 QVQVB2B2 B2B2 C2ZC2ZVV VV RLSLAA AA AD2AD2WW E2QE2QUU QQQQF2F2 QZQZG2G2 DQDQQQ| Come we shepherds whose blest sight | A |
| Hath met love's noon in nature's night | A |
| Come lift up our loftier song | B |
| And wake the sun that lies too long | B |
| - | |
| To all the world of well stol'n joy | C |
| He slept and dreamt of no such thing | D |
| While we found out Heaven's fairer eye | E |
| And kissed the cradle of our King | D |
| Tell him he rises now too late | F |
| To show us aught worth looking at | G |
| - | |
| Tell him we now can show him more | H |
| Than he e'er showed to mortal sight | A |
| Than he himself e'er saw before | H |
| Which to be seen needs not his light | A |
| Tell him Tityrus where thou hast been | I |
| Tell him Tityrus what thou hast seen | J |
| - | |
| Gloomy night embraced the place | K |
| Where the noble Infant lay | L |
| The Babe looked up and showed His face | K |
| In spite of darkness it was day | L |
| It was Thy day Sweet and did rise | M |
| Not from the East but from Thine eyes | M |
| - | |
| It was Thy day Sweet and did rise | M |
| Not from the East but from Thine eyes | M |
| - | |
| Winter chid aloud and sent | N |
| The angry North to wage his wars | O |
| The North forgot his fierce intent | N |
| And left perfumes instead of scars | P |
| By those sweet eyes' persuasive powers | Q |
| Where he meant frost he scattered flowers | Q |
| - | |
| By those sweet eyes' persuasive powers | Q |
| Where he meant frost he scattered flowers | Q |
| - | |
| We saw Thee in Thy balmy nest | R |
| Young Dawn of our eternal day | L |
| We saw Thine eyes break from Their East | S |
| And chase the trembling shades away | L |
| We saw Thee and we blessed the sight | A |
| We saw Thee by Thine own sweet light | A |
| - | |
| Poor world said I what wilt thou do | T |
| To entertain this starry Stranger | U |
| Is this the best thou canst bestow | V |
| A cold and not too cleanly manger | U |
| Contend ye powers of heaven and earth | W |
| To fit a bed for this huge birth | W |
| - | |
| Contend ye powers of heaven and earth | W |
| To fit a bed for this huge birth | W |
| - | |
| Proud world said I cease your contest | R |
| And let the mighty Babe alone | X |
| The phoenix builds the phoenix' nest | R |
| Love's architecture is his own | X |
| The Babe whose birth embraves this morn | Y |
| Made His own bed ere He was born | Y |
| - | |
| The Babe whose birth embraves this morn | Y |
| Made His own bed ere He was born | Y |
| - | |
| I saw the curled drops soft and slow | V |
| Come hovering o'er the place's head | Z |
| Offering their whitest sheets of snow | V |
| To furnish the fair Infant's bed | Z |
| Forbear said I be not too bold | A2 |
| Your fleece is white but 'tis too cold | A2 |
| - | |
| Forbear said we be not too bold | A2 |
| Your fleece is white but 'tis too cold | A2 |
| - | |
| I saw the obsequious seraphims | Q |
| Their rosy fleece of fire bestow | V |
| For well they now can spare their wings | Q |
| Since heaven itself lies here below | V |
| Well done said I but are you sure | B2 |
| Your down so warm will pass for pure | B2 |
| - | |
| Well done said we but are you sure | B2 |
| Your down so warm will pass for pure | B2 |
| - | |
| No no your King's not yet to seek | C2 |
| Where to repose His royal head | Z |
| See see how soon His bloomed cheek | C2 |
| Twixt 's mother's breasts is gone to bed | Z |
| Sweet choice said I no way but so | V |
| Not to lie cold yet sleep in snow | V |
| - | |
| Sweet choice said we no way but so | V |
| Not to lie cold yet sleep in snow | V |
| - | |
| We saw Thee in Thy balmy nest | R |
| Young Dawn of our eternal day | L |
| We saw Thine eyes break from Their East | S |
| And chase the trembling shades away | L |
| We saw Thee and we blessed the sight | A |
| We saw Thee by Thine own sweet light | A |
| - | |
| We saw Thee and we blessed the sight | A |
| We saw Thee by Thine own sweet light | A |
| - | |
| Welcome all Wonders in one sight | A |
| Eternity shut in a span | D2 |
| Summer to winter day in night | A |
| Heaven in earth and God in man | D2 |
| Great little One Whose all embracing birth | W |
| Lifts earth to heaven stoops heaven to earth | W |
| - | |
| Welcome though nor to gold nor silk | E2 |
| To more than Caesar's birthright is | Q |
| Twin sister seas of virgin milk | E2 |
| With many rarely tempered kiss | Q |
| That breathes at once both maid and mother | U |
| Warms in the one cools in the other | U |
| - | |
| Welcome though not to those gay flies | Q |
| Gilded in the beams of earthly kings | Q |
| Slippery souls in smiling eyes | Q |
| But to poor shepherds home spun things | Q |
| Whose wealth's their flock whose wit to be | F2 |
| Well read in their simplicity | F2 |
| - | |
| Yet when April's husband showers | Q |
| Shall bless the fruitful Maia's bed | Z |
| We'll bring the first born of her flowers | Q |
| To kiss Thy feet and crown Thy head | Z |
| To Thee dread Lamb whose love must keep | G2 |
| The shepherds more than they their sheep | G2 |
| - | |
| To Thee meek Majesty soft King | D |
| Of simple graces and sweet loves | Q |
| Each of us his lamb will bring | D |
| Each his pair of silver doves | Q |
| Till burnt at last in fire of Thy fair eyes | Q |
| Ourselves become our own best sacrifice | Q |
Richard Crashaw
(1)
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About In The Holy Nativity Of Our Lord God: A Hymn Sung As By Shepherds
In The Holy Nativity Of Our Lord God: A Hymn Sung As By Shepherds is a poem by Richard Crashaw. This page includes the poem text, poet information, related topics, comments, and similar poems.