THREE CHRISTMAS POEMS

by Eleanor Farjeon

Angelic Chorus

Birds in the air,
Beasts in the byre,
Straw for thy bed,
Stars for thy fire,
Thy body for bread,
Thy Blood for the wine,
A thorn for thy crown,
A cross for thy sign.

(From A ROOM IN THE INN, a Christmas Masque

The Shepherd and The King

Earth, bear a berry!
Heaven, bear a light!
Man, make you merry
On Christmas Night.

The Oxen in the stall,
The Sheep upon the hill,
They are waking all
To hear Sweet Mary still.
The Baby is a Child,
And the Child is running free.
Sing again Sweet Mary,
And we will sing with thee!

Earth, bear a berry!
Heaven, bear a light!
Man, make you merry
On Christmas Night.

The People in the land,
So many million strong,
All silently do stand
To hear Sweet Mary's song.
The Child He is a man,
And the man hangs on a tree.
Sing again Sweet Mary,
And we will sing with thee!

Earth, bear a berry!
Heaven, bear a light!
Man, make you merry
On Christmas Night.

The Stars that are so old,
The Grass that is so young,
They listen in the cold
To hear Sweet Mary's Tongue.
The Man's the Son of God,
And in heaven walketh He.
Sing again Sweet Mary,
And we will sing with thee!

Earth, bear a berry!
Heaven, bear a light!
Man, make you merry
On Christmas Night.

(from Come Christmas 1927)

The Week After

And some have feasted, and still more have fasted,
But in the week that now has slipped behind
The movement was a warm one while it lasted,
And the hearts of men were willing to be kind.

Oh, keep that movement warm, not only now
But in the weeks that still beyond us lie!
Oh, keep that movement constant in us, Thou
That ever diest, and wilt never die.

(from Come Christmas 1927)

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