Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE NATIVITY, by HENRY HART MILMAN Poet's Biography First Line: For thou wert born of woman! Thou didst come Last Line: In its own radiancy. Variant Title(s): Ode, To The Saviour Subject(s): Jesus Christ | ||||||||
FOR thou wert born of woman! thou didst come, O Holiest! to this world of sin and gloom, Not in thy dread omnipotent array; And not by thunders strew'd Was thy tempestuous road; Nor indignation burnt before thee on thy way; But thee, a soft and naked child, Thy mother undefiled In the rude manger laid to rest From off her virgin breast. The heavens were not commanded to prepare A gorgeous canopy of golden air; Nor stoop'd their lamps th'enthroned fires on high: A single silent star Came wandering from afar, Gliding uncheck'd and calm along the liquid sky; The eastern sages leading on, As at a kingly throne, To lay their gold and odours sweet Before thy infant feet. The earth and ocean were not hush'd to hear Bright harmony from every starry sphere; Nor at thy presence brake the voice of song From all the cherub choirs, And seraphs' burning lyres, Pour'd through the host of heaven the charmed clouds along. One angel-troop the strain began, Of all the race of man By simple shepherds heard alone, That soft hosanna's tone. And when thou didst depart, no car of flame To bear thee hence in lambient radiance came; Nor visible angels mourn'd with drooping plumes: Nor didst thou mount on high From fatal Calvary, With all thine own redeem'd out bursting from their tombs. For thou didst bear away from earth But one of human birth, The dying felon by thy side, to be In Paradise with thee. Nor o'er thy cross the clouds of vengeance brake; A little while the conscious earth did shake At that foul deed by her fierce children done; A few dim hours of day The world in darkness lay; Then bask'd in bright repose beneath the cloudless sun. While thou didst sleep within the tomb, Consenting to thy doom; Ere yet the white-robed angel shone Upon the sealed stone. And when thou didst arise, thou didst not stand With devastation in thy red right hand, Plaguing the guilty city's murderous crew: But thou didst haste to meet Thy mother's coming feet, And bear the words of peace unto the faithful few. Then calmly, slowly didst thou rise Into thy native skies, Thy human form dissolved on high In its own radiancy. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE GREEN CHRIST by ANDREW HUDGINS MEDITATION ON SAVIORS by ROBINSON JEFFERS COMPANIONSHIP by MALTBIE DAVENPORT BABCOCK TO A WREN ON CALVARY by LARRY LEVIS THE TRANSFIGURATION by EDWIN MUIR SOUNDS OF THE RESURRECTED DEAD MAN'S FOOTSTEPS (#3): 1. BEAST, PEACH.. by MARVIN BELL JEWISH HYMN IN BABYLON by HENRY HART MILMAN |
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