Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, CHRISTMAS EVE, by JOHN DRINKWATER



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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

CHRISTMAS EVE, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: On christmas eve I lay abed
Last Line: Dreamt of a new-born king.
Subject(s): Christmas; Nativity, The


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.





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