Various
Christmas in Poetry Carols and Poems
A CHRISTMAS CAROL
God bless the master of this house,
The mistress also,
And all the little children,
That round the table go.
And all your kin and folk,
That dwell both far and near;
I wish you a merry Christmas,
And a happy New Year.
Old English Carol
FROM FAR AWAY
From far away we come to you.
The snow in the street, and the wind on the door,
To tell of great tidings, strange and true.
Minstrels and maids, stand forth on the floor.
From far away we come to you,
To tell of great tidings, strange and true.
For as we wandered far and wide,
The snow in the street, and the wind on the door,
What hap do you deem there should us betide?
Minstrels and maids, stand forth on the floor.
Under a bent when the night was deep,
The snow in the street, and the wind on the door,
There lay three shepherds, tending their sheep.
Minstrels and maids, stand forth on the floor.
“O ye shepherds, what have ye seen,
The snow in the street, and the wind on the door,
To stay your sorrow and heal your teen?”
Minstrels and maids, stand forth on the floor.
“In an ox stall this night we saw,
The snow in the street, and the wind on the door,
A Babe and a maid without a flaw.
Minstrels and maids, stand forth on the floor.
“There was an old man there beside;
The snow in the street, and the wind on the door,
His hair was white, and his hood was wide.
Minstrels and maids, stand forth on the floor.
“And as we gazed this thing upon,
The snow in the street, and the wind on the door,
Those twain knelt down to the little one.
Minstrels and maids, stand forth on the floor.
“And a marvellous song we straight did hear,
The snow in the street, and the wind on the door.
That slew our sorrow and healed our care.”
Minstrels and maids, stand forth on the floor.
News of a fair and marvellous thing,
The snow in the street, and the wind on the door,
Nowell, Nowell, Nowell, we sing.
Minstrels and maids, stand forth on the floor.
From far away we come to you,
To tell of great tidings, strange and true.
William Morris
LORDINGS, LISTEN TO OUR LAY
Lordings, listen to our lay —
We have come from far away
To seek Christmas;
In this mansion we are told
He His yearly feast doth hold:
’Tis to-day!
May joy come from God above,
To all those who Christmas love.
Old Carol
’TWAS JOLLY, JOLLY WAT
’Twas jolly, jolly Wat, my foy,
He was a goodman’s shepherd boy,
And he sat by his sheep
On the hill-side so steep,
And piped this song,
Ut hoy! Ut hoy!
O merry, merry sing for joy,
Ut hoy!
A’down from Heav’n that is so high
There came an angel companye,
And on Bethlehem hill
Thro’ the night-tide so still
Their song out-rang:
On hi