Christ's Nativity

Henry Vaughan 1621 (Brecknockshire) – 1695



1       Awake, glad heart! get up and sing!
2     It is the birth-day of thy King.
3           Awake! awake!
4           The Sun doth shake
5     Light from his locks, and all the way
6     Breathing perfumes, doth spice the day.

7       Awake, awake! hark how th' wood rings;
8     Winds whisper, and the busy springs
9           A concert make;
10         Awake! awake!
11   Man is their high-priest, and should rise
12   To offer up the sacrifice.

13     I would I were some bird, or star,
14   Flutt'ring in woods, or lifted far
15         Above this inn
16         And road of sin!
17   Then either star or bird should be
18   Shining or singing still to thee.

19     I would I had in my best part
20   Fit rooms for thee! or that my heart
21         Were so clean as
22         Thy manger was!
23   But I am all filth, and obscene;
24   Yet, if thou wilt, thou canst make clean.

25     Sweet Jesu! will then. Let no more
26   This leper haunt and soil thy door!
27         Cure him, ease him,
28         O release him!
29   And let once more, by mystic birth,
30   The Lord of life be born in earth.

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

1:01 min read
153

Quick analysis:

Scheme AABBCC DDBBXX EEFFGG HHXXII JJKKLL
Closest metre Iambic trimeter
Characters 1,084
Words 204
Stanzas 5
Stanza Lengths 6, 6, 6, 6, 6

Henry Vaughan

Henry Vaughan was a Welsh author, physician and metaphysical poet. Vaughan and his twin brother, the hermetic philosopher and alchemist Thomas Vaughan, were the sons of Thomas Vaughan and his wife Denise of 'Trenewydd', Newton, in Brecknockshire, Wales. Their grandfather, William, was the owner of Tretower Court. Vaughan spent most of his life in the village of Llansantffraed, near Brecon, where he is also buried. more…

All Henry Vaughan poems | Henry Vaughan Books

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