•6:00 AM
The Nativity, Dante Gabriel Rossetti (1828-1882)Nativity, A Christmas Poem
Immensity cloistered in thy dear womb,
Now leaves His well-belov'd imprisonment,
There He hath made Himself to His intent
Weak enough, now into the world to come;
But O, for thee, for Him, hath the inn no room?
Yet lay Him in this stall, and from the Orient,
Stars and wise men will travel to prevent
The effect of Herod's jealous general doom.
Seest thou, my soul, with thy faith's eyes, how He
Which fills all place, yet none holds Him, doth lie?
Was not His pity towards thee wondrous high,
That would have need to be pitied by thee?
Kiss Him, and with Him into Egypt go,
With His kind mother, who partakes thy woe.
--John Donne (1572-1631)
Advent
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4 comments:
After reading that incredible first line, I am not surprised to find that this is Donne. (no pun intended)
I wonder why there aren't more modern poems. Maybe we should try to write some advent poems?
Jen, there *are* some modern advent poems; I just don't think there are very many *good* ones, unfortunately. You would not believe the doggerel I encountered when I was putting this whole thing together.
I've always adored John Donne. Hadn't read this one, though. Gorgeous.