Classic and Contemporary Poetry
A CHRISTMAS LYRIC, by PAUL HAMILTON HAYNE Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Tho' the earth with age seems whitened Last Line: Of the fathomless peace of christ! Subject(s): Christmas; Nativity, The | ||||||||
THO' the Earth with age seems whitened, And her tresses hoary and old No longer are flushed and brightened By glintings of brown or gold, A voice from the Syrian highlands, O'er waters that flash and stir, By the belts of their tropic islands, Still singeth of joy to her! A song which the centuries hallow! Though softer than April rain That soweth on field and fallow, A spell that shall rise in grain -- Yet deep as the sea-strain chanted On the fluctuant ocean-lyre, By the magical west-wind haunted, With the pulse of his soul on fire! A promise to lift the lowly, -- To weed the soul of its tares, And change into harmonies holy The discord of fierce despairs: A glory of high Evangels, Of rhythmical storms and calms; All hail to the voices of angels, Heard over the starlit palms! A hymn of hope to the ages, The music of deathless trust, No frenzy of mortal rages Can darken with doubt or dust; A rapture of high evangels, But centred in sacred calms! Ah! still the chorus of angels Thrills over the Bethlehem palms! Still heralds the day-spring tender, That never can melt or close, Till the noon of its deepening splendor Out-blooms, like a mystic rose, Whose petals are rays supernal Of love that hath all sufficed, -- And whose heart is the grace eternal, Of the fathomless peace of Christ! | 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 A STORM IN THE DISTANCE (AMONG THE GEORGIAN HILLS) by PAUL HAMILTON HAYNE |
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