Saturday Poetry Corner: Heaven Cannot Hold Him ("In The Bleak Midwinter")

 

"But the angel said to them, Fear not! For behold I bring you
glad tidings of great joy which shall be for all the people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David 
 a Savior Who is Christ the Lord."
(Luke 2:10-11)

Sweet Dreams In The Manger

Greg Collins Artist

 Image courtesy: Jesus Is The Christ Prints/ via Pinterest

In the bleak midwinter

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 midwinter

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 midwinter

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 Him a lamb,

If I were a Wise Man

I would do my part,

Yet what can I give Him

Give my heart.

Christina Georgina Rossetti
(1830-1894)
English Christian poetess and
writer of religious devotionals
Portrait by her brother
Dante Gabriel Rossetti

"Heaven Cannot Hold Him"
("In The Bleak Mid-Winter")
(1872)
Christina Rossetti