A favorite poem

This is a favorite poem of mine, Christmas or not. (And yes, I suppose you could quibble about the strict "correctness" of the images: for one, many theologians believe that Jesus was actually born in the springtime, based on the evidence of shepherds being out in the fields, and also, I doubt it would have gotten cold enough in Bethlehem - even in midwinter - for the ground to freeze hard).

But still, I love the "smallness" of some of the imagery in the poem - the "homeliness" (in the British sense of it being cozy and home-like, rather than the American sense) of the images, and yet, there' that stanza about "Heaven and Earth shall flee away, when He comes to reign..."

In the bleak mid-winter
Frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron,
Water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow,
Snow on snow,
In the bleak mid-winter
Long ago.

Our God, Heaven cannot hold Him
Nor earth sustain;
Heaven and earth shall flee away
When He comes to reign:
In the bleak mid-winter
A stable-place sufficed
The Lord God Almighty,
Jesus Christ.

Enough for Him, whom cherubim
Worship night and day,
A breastful of milk
And a mangerful of hay;
Enough for Him, whom angels
Fall down before,
The ox and ass and camel
Which adore.

Angels and archangels
May have gathered there,
Cherubim and seraphim
Thronged the air,
But only His mother
In her maiden bliss,
Worshipped the Beloved
With a kiss.

What can I give Him,
Poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd
I would bring a lamb,
If I were a wise man
I would do my part,
Yet what I can I give Him,
Give my heart.

(Christina Rosetti, 1872).

There's a lovely setting of the poem to music - and it's a thoroughly British carol, as Gustav Holst wrote the music (there are other settings, but I love the Holst setting best). It's interesting me that someone who could write the tocsin for "Mars" also wrote this.

I will admit to more than once having choked up a bit while singing this in church. It really is one of my favorites.