Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, A SONG ON THE PASSION, by ANONYMOUS


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

A SONG ON THE PASSION, by                    
First Line: "summer's come, and winter gone"
Last Line: "thou did'st arise, / raise us! Amen"
Subject(s): Jesus Christ


SUMMER'S come, and winter gone,
Longer wax the days,
And the birdlings every one,
Joyful songs they raise,
Yet by care I'm straitly bound
Spite of joy that may be found in land,
All for a Child
That is so mild of Hand.

Fair that Child, and wondrous kind,
Mighty is His thought,
Thro' the woods and hills to find
Me, he straitly sought;
And at last He findeth me
Thro' an apple from a tree fast bound,
He brake ere long
The bands so strong, with Wound.

That Child, Who was so fair and free,
To me bent Him low,
Sold unto the Jews for me,
Naught of Him they know,
But they quoth: "Now here shall we
Nail Him high upon a tree on hill,
Yet ere that same
We'll do Him shame at will."

Jesus, is that fair Child's Name,
King of every land,
Of this King have they made game,
Smitten Him with hand,
Fain to try Him: on the tree
Gave Him wounds, yea, two and three full sore,
And therewithal
A drink of gall they bore.

Death He bare on the Rood tree
For the life of all,
Otherwise no help might be,
We to Hell must fall,
And the fires of Hell must meet,
That, I trow, were never sweet withal;
Nor might us save
Tower, castle brave, nor hall.

Maid and Mother, there she stood,
Mary, full of grace,
From her eyes, the tears of blood
Fell fast in that place,
As the tears of blood ran free
Changed in flesh and blood was she, and face,
Her Son was drawn
As deer is torn in chace!

Death He bare as Man, for men,
High upon the Rood,
All our sins He washed them then
With His Holy Blood,
With that flood adown did 'light,
Brake the gates of Hell forthright;
From hold
He led, I wis,
Those who were His of old.

Thus He rose on the Third Day,
Sat Him on His throne,
Comes again on Judgment Day
And our doom makes known.
Ever may he groan and greet,
Who his death in sin doth meet;
Jesus,
As to the skies
Thou did'st arise,
Raise us!





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