Classic and Contemporary Poetry
A SACRED DIALOGUE (CHRISTMAS 1912), by JAMES ELROY FLECKER Poet's Biography First Line: The silver bishop of bethlehem Last Line: The christmas day of the hosts! Subject(s): Balkan Wars (1912, 1913); Christmas; Nativity, The | ||||||||
The silver Bishop of Bethlehem, A desolate Turkish town, Speaks with a shape each Christmas day That floats to music down. THE BISHOP OF BETHLEHEM Peace and goodwill, Son of the King! Thy Birthday and Thy Star! CHRIST Peace and goodwill the world may sing: But we shall talk of war! How fare my armies of the North? THE BISHOP They wait victorious peace, All the high forts of Macedon Fly the proud flag of Greece. CHRIST Then surely on that Eastern dome The Allies' cross is gleaming, Redeemed my loved and ancient home!* THE BISHOP Ah, it still waits redeeming! CHRIST Still waits -- Five hundred years, and still My soldiers wait -- so long? THE BISHOP Thou hast Fate's sceptre. What thy will Dooms could split earth, thou Strong! CHRIST My nations are steel towers built tall, Shepherd of Bethlehem, Tell none this Moslem cracked stone wall Is more than jest for them? Yet Islam oft would strip and slay Christian woman and child, And Europe feast that Christmas day A coward reconciled. Yet some day o'er Pamphylian waves Shall Byzant chants be ringing, And rose-crowned hermits leave their caves And sail to Patmos singing; Some day Nicea's pool again Shall bear the creed of the World, And that day crashing from my fane Shall that horned moon be hurled. Then some deep-faithed Priest will shout: "Oh, cease ye bells forlorn, We have forgotten Jerusalem And the land where He was born!" Then the black cannons of the Lord Shall wake crusading ghosts And the Milky Way shall swing like a sword When Jerusalem vomits its horde On the Christmas day preferred of the Lord, The Christmas day of the Hosts! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...DIFFERENT VIEWS; A CHRISMAS DUET by JOSEPH ASHBY-STERRY AN UNMERRY CHRISTMAS by AMBROSE BIERCE CHRISTMAS IN CHINATOWN by AUGUST KLEINZAHLER CHRISTMAS TREE by JOHN FREDERICK NIMS ISAIAH'S COAL by JOHN FREDERICK NIMS SOUNDS OF THE RESURRECTED DEAD MAN'S FOOTSTEPS (#3): 1. BEAST, PEACH.. by MARVIN BELL SANTORIN (A LEGEND OF THE AEGEAN) by JAMES ELROY FLECKER |
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