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The Babe looked up and showed His face In spite of darkness, it was day.

It was Thy day, Sweet, and did rise, Not from the East, but from Thine eyes.

Chorus

It was Thy day, Sweet .

Thyrsis

Winter chid aloud, and sent

The angry North to wage his wars.

The North forgot his fierce intent, And left perfumes instead of scars.

By those sweet eyes' persuasive powers, Where he meant frost, he scattered flowers.

Chorus

By those sweet eyes'

Both

We saw Thee in Thy balmy nest, Young dawn of our eternal Day;

;

We saw Thine eyes break from their East, And chase the trembling shades away.

We saw Thee, and we blest the sight, We saw Thee by Thine Own sweet light.

Tityrus

Poor world (said I), what wilt thou do To entertain this starry Stranger?

Is this the best thou canst bestow, A cold, and not too cleanly, manger? Contend, the powers of Heaven and Earth, To fit a bed for this huge birth?

Chorus

Contend, the powers

Thyrsis

Proud world, said I, cease your contest, And let the mighty Babe alone.

The phoenix builds the phoenix' nest, Love's architecture is his own.

The Babe whose birth embraves 1 this morn, Made His Own bed ere He was born.

Chorus

The Babe whose

Tityrus

I saw the curled drops, soft and slow, Come hovering o'er the place's head; Offering their whitest sheets of snow To furnish the fair Infant's bed: Forbear, said I; be not too bold, Your fleece is white, but 'tis too cold.

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For well they now can spare their wing,
Since Heaven itself lies here below.
Well done, said I, but are you sure
Your down so warm, will pass for pure?

Chorus

Well done, said I . . .

Tityrus

No, no, your King's not yet to seek Where to repose His royal head;

See, see, how soon His new-bloom'd cheek "Twixt's Mother's breasts is gone to bed. Sweet choice, said we, no way but so Not to lie cold, yet sleep in snow.

Chorus

Sweet choice, said we . . .

Both

We saw Thee in Thy balmy nest, Bright dawn of our eternal Day!

We saw Thine eyes break from their East, And chase the trembling shades away.

We saw Thee, and we blest the sight, We saw Thee by Thine Own sweet light.

Chorus

We saw Thee . . .

Full Chorus

Welcome, all wonders in one sight, Eternity shut in a span,

Summer in Winter, Day in Night, Heaven in Earth, and God in man,

Great, little One, whose all-embracing birth Lifts Earth to Heaven, stoops Heaven to Earth. Welcome, though not to gold nor silk, To more than Cæsar's birthright is, Two sister-seas of virgin-milk, With many a rarely-tempered kiss,

That breathes at once both maid and mother, Warms in the one, cools in the other.

She sings Thy tears asleep, and dips Her kisses in Thy weeping eye;

She spreads the red leaves of Thy lips, That in their buds yet blushing lie:

She 'gainst those mother-diamonds, tries The points of Her young eagle's eyes. Welcome, though not to those gay flies,1 Gilded i' th' beams of earthly kings, Slippery souls in smiling eyes;

But to poor shepherds' home-spun things; Whose wealth's their flock; whose wit, to be Well-read in their simplicity.

Yet when young April's husband-showers

Shall bless the fruitful Maia's bed,

We'll bring the first-born of her flowers

To kiss Thy feet, and crown Thy head.

To Thee, dread Lamb, Whose love must keep

The shepherds, more than they the sheep.

1 Butterflies, courtiers.

To Thee, meek Majesty, soft King
Of simple Graces and sweet Loves:
Each of us his lamb will bring,
Each his pair of silver doves;

Till burnt at last in fire of Thy fair eyes,
Ourselves become our own best sacrifice.

A HYMN FOR THE CIRCUMCISION DAY OF OUR LORD

RISE, thou best and brightest morning!

Rosy with a double red;

With thine own blush thy cheeks adorning,
And the dear drops this day were shed.

All the purple pride, that laces

The crimson curtains of thy bed,
Gilds thee not with so sweet graces,
Nor sets thee in so rich a red.

Of all the fair-cheek'd flowers that fill thee,
None so fair thy bosom strows,

As this modest maiden lily

Our sins have shamed into a rose.

Bid thy golden god, the sun,

Burnish'd in his best beams rise,

Put all his red-eyed rubies on;

These rubies shall put out their eyes.

Let him make poor the purple East,

Search what the world's close cabinets keep,

Rob the rich births of each bright nest

That flaming in their fair beds sleep.

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