ON Christmas Eve I lay abed, With the still night more still For all the pluming snows that spread Along our sparkling hill; And while again to Jesu' stall Walked wisdom from afar, I heard another shepherd call Under the Christmas star. Along the lane his carol came, But not of Bethlehem; A burning boy, he knew a flame But not the flame of them: 'This Christmas Eve from courting home I am a bachelor, But soon the snows again will come, And I'll be wed before.' All one with kings from Bible-page, And holy shepherds old, Went yeoman love in pilgrimage Across the Christmas wold. 'Good-will,' he sang, 'Good-will, Good-will,' Or seemed to me to sing, While some glad girl beyond the hill Dreamt of a new-born king. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...ITALIAN PICTURES: THE COSTA SAN GIORGIO by MINA LOY TO FLUSH, MY DOG by ELIZABETH BARRETT BROWNING A HYMN TO CHRIST, AT THE AUTHOR'S LAST GOING INTO GERMANY by JOHN DONNE MODERN LOVE: 34 by GEORGE MEREDITH EYE-WITNESS by FREDERICK RIDGELY TORRENCE |