Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE NATIVITY OF CHRIST, by ROBERT SOUTHWELL


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE NATIVITY OF CHRIST, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: Behold the father is his daughter's son
Last Line: Whose taste, doth us from beasts to men renew.
Variant Title(s): Parem Parit Filia
Subject(s): Christmas; Religion; Nativity, The; Theology


Behold the father, is his daughters son:
The bird that built the nest, is hatched therein:
The old of years, an hour hath not out run:
Eternal life, to live doth now begin.
The word is dumb: the mirth of heaven doth weep:
Might feeble is: and force doth faintly creep.

O dying souls, behold your living spring:
O dazzled eyes, behold your son of grace:
Dull ears, attend what word this word doth bring:
Up heavy hearts: with joy your joy embrace.
From death, from dark, from deafness, from despairs:
This life, this light, this word, this joy repairs.

Gift better than himself, God doth not know:
Gift better than his God, no man can see:
This gift doth here the giver given bestow:
Gift to this gift let each receiver be.
God is my gift, himself he freely gave me:
Gods gift am I, and none but God shall have me.

Man altered was by sin from man to beast:
Beasts' food is hay, hay is all mortal flesh:
Now God is flesh, and lies in Manger pressed:
As hay, the brutest sinner to refresh.
O happy field wherein this fodder grew,
Whose taste, doth us from beasts to men renew.





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