A Classic Christmas Read online

  For they knew his malice and feared his hate,

  And returned to their homes by another way.

  PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR

  1872–1906

  CHRISTMAS CAROL

  Ring out, ye bells!

  All Nature swells

  With gladness at the wondrous story,—

  The world was lorn,

  But Christ is born

  To change our sadness into glory.

  Sing, earthlings, sing!

  To-night a King

  Hath come from heaven’s high throne to

  bless us.

  The outstretched hand

  O’er all the land

  Is raised in pity to caress us.

  Come at his call;

  Be joyful all;

  Away with mourning and with sadness!

  The heavenly choir

  With holy fire

  Their voices raise in songs of gladness.

  The darkness breaks

  And Dawn awakes,

  Her cheeks suffused with youthful blushes.

  The rocks and stones

  In holy tones

  Are singing sweeter than the thrushes.

  Then why should we

  In silence be,

  When Nature lends her voice to praises;

  When heaven and earth

  Proclaim the truth

  Of Him for whom that lone star blazes?

  No, be not still,

  But with a will

  Strike all your harps and set them ringing;

  On hill and heath

  Let every breath

  Throw all its power into singing!

  CHRISTINA ROSSETTI

  1830–1894

  CHRISTMAS EVE

  Christmas hath a darkness

  Brighter than the blazing noon,

  Christmas hath a chillness

  Warmer than the heat of June,

  Christmas hath a beauty

  Lovelier than the world can show:

  For Christmas bringeth Jesus,

  Brought for us so low.

  Earth, strike up your music,

  Birds that sing and bells that ring;

  Heaven hath answering music

  For all Angels soon to sing:

  Earth, put on your whitest

  Bridal robe of spotless snow:

  For Christmas bringeth Jesus,

  Brought for us so low.

  MARGARET DELAND

  1857–1945

  THE WAITS

  At the break of Christmas Day,

  Through the frosty starlight ringing,

  Faint and sweet and far away,

  Comes the sound of children, singing,

  Chanting, singing,

  “Cease to mourn,

  For Christ is born,

  Peace and joy to all men bringing!”

  Careless that the chill winds blow,

  Growing stronger, sweeter, clearer,

  Noiseless footfalls in the snow,

  Bring the happy voices nearer;

  Hear them singing,

  “Winter’s drear,

  But Christ is here,

  Mirth and gladness with Him

  bringing.”

  “Merry Christmas!” hear them say,

  As the East is growing lighter;

  “May the joy of Christmas Day

  Make your whole year gladder, brighter!”

  Join their singing,

  “To each home

  Our Christ has come,

  All Love’s treasures with Him

  bringing!”

  LIBBIE C. BAER

  1849–1929

  WHEN CHRISTMAS COMES

  (Harry.)

  When Christmas comes my brother Fred

  And I are each to have a sled,

  So papa says. To all good boys

  Old Santa brings both books and toys,

  When Christmas comes.

  (Paul.)

  I know my mother is too poor,

  To buy us toys, but I am sure

  She’ll have for us some nice warm caps,

  Some mittens, and some shoes, perhaps,

  When Christmas comes.

  (James.)

  I wrote old Santa Claus to bring

  To me a drum, and everything;

  A train of cars to run by steam,

  And all of which I think, and dream,

  When Christmas comes.

  (Willie.)

  You greedy boy! You want it all;

  I only want a top and ball;

  I want what Santa Claus can spare

  When other boys have had their share,

  When Christmas comes.

  (James.)

  I only wrote old Santa Claus

  To bring me all those things, because

  I want to give away some toys,

  To Paul, and other widows’ boys,

  When Christmas comes.

  (John.)

  That’s right, my chum,

  With fife and drum,

  And singing tops we’ll make things hum;

  Divide our toys with other boys,

  And won’t we make a sight of noise,

  When Christmas comes.

  (All.)

  When Christmas comes to you and me,

  Bid every selfish thought to flee;

  Unselfish hearts and deeds, and then,

  “Peace on earth, good will to men,”

  When Christmas comes.

  ANNA DE BRÉMONT

  1864–1922

  CHRISTMAS MORN

  There’s a holy light like a beacon bright,

  Afar over land and sea.

  Soft its lambent ray o’er the broad earth plays

  With a rosy dancing glee,

  And the topmost peak of the mountains bleak

  Blush fair in the glowing morn.

  Over wood and tarn sweeps the glorious dawn

  To herald the Child-Christ born.

  White the sea-waves fling like an angel’s wing

  The foam as their blue crests rise,

  While each gallant ship, with a skim and a dip,

  In the wind’s lap speeding flies;

  And the sailor’s song is borne along

  The breeze of the golden morn,

  For joyous he sings as the mast he swings

  To herald the Child-Christ born.

  In the land of snow where the keen winds blow

  And the ice-king holds his sway,

  A glittering sheen on the plains is seen,

  As tribute to him they pay.

  While merrily sing with a peal and a ring

  The bells on the crystal morn,

  As gayly they chime with silvery rhyme

  To herald the Child-Christ born.

  To his sea-girt home, where’er he may roam,

  Speed the thoughts of Briton’s son.

  In city or plain, on the crested main,

  The heart of the absent one

  Again in his dreams with ecstasy seems

  To swell in the happy morn,

  As he hears the voice of his loved rejoice,

  To herald the Child-Christ born.

  In dreams borne along, he joins the glad throng,

  The riot and wassail gay;

  And the boar’s head bold as in Nowel old

  Brave crowns the feast of the day;

  The holly’s red blush ’mid the ivy’s crush;

  The mistletoe greets the morn

  With kisses to claim in love’s holy name,

  To herald the Child-Christ born.

  Then Charity sweet with most gracious feet

  Walks forth o’er the smiling land,

  To widow’s relief, to fatherless grief,

  She bringeth a helping hand.

  For peace and good-will the whole world doth fill

  With the dawn of the Nowel morn.

  Let every heart sing a glad welcoming,

  To herald the Child-Christ born.

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  Louisa May Alcott, A Classic Christmas