When the cock in the dish Crew "Christus natus est!" I saddled a wish And rode from the west. The ditches were piled With young children dying: I saw Herod's child In a gold cradle lying. At high white noon In a tower turned south; A silver spoon Was in the child's mouth. It was bright as a candle And heavy as lead: Carved on the handle Was John Baptist's head. I climbed like a cat; I stole the metal; I hammered it flat To a silver petal. I curled the leaf To a silver bell To echo the grief Of Israel. The dead were dumb But it spoke for them: By night I was come To Bethlehem. Mary's mantle Covered the Christ: With myrrh and santal His hair was spiced. I kissed the ground Where the gold was tossed: The bell made a sound Like a young child lost. "This bell is a bird Or a shaken bud; It speaks a word The color of blood. "This bell is a cup Or a thorny cap . . ." The Christ sat up In Mary's lap. "O take this bell And stifle its breath, For Israel Is tired of death. "When Herod's boy Lies broken and dying, Give him this toy To quiet his crying." | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...HOLY WILLIE'S PRAYER by ROBERT BURNS HE'D BE NOTHING BUT HIS VIOLIN by MARY KYLE DALLAS A PIPER by JAMES SULLIVAN STARKEY THE LIGHT OF ASIA by EDWIN ARNOLD THE CYNOTAPH by RICHARD HARRIS BARHAM SONNETS OF MANHOOD: 49. THE ENGLISH RACE by GEORGE BARLOW (1847-1913) THE DEEPS by EDMUND CHARLES BLUNDEN ON THE DEATH OF COMMODORE OLIVER H. PERRY by JOHN GARDINER CALKINS BRAINARD |