In the Bleak Midwinter
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.
by Christina Rossetti
[first published under the title “A Christmas Carol”, in the January 1872 issue of Scribner’s Monthly]
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Christmas Service, Kernersville NC Community of Christ, December 22, 2019
Valeria and Andrew portrayed Joseph and Mary for their fifth consecutive year.
Thank you pub lishing this old, and still favorite, poem from the gifted pen of Cristina Rossetti
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This is certainly one of my very favorite Christmas verses and also a favorite to sing. —B
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