Henry Vaughan (1622?-1695)
Christ's Nativity
1Awake, glad heart! get up and sing!
2It is the birth-day of thy King.
3 Awake! awake!
4 The Sun doth shake
5Light from his locks, and all the way
6Breathing perfumes, doth spice the day.
7Awake, awake! hark how th' wood rings;
8Winds whisper, and the busy springs
9 A concert make;
10 Awake! awake!
11Man is their high-priest, and should rise
12To offer up the sacrifice.
13I would I were some bird, or star,
14Flutt'ring in woods, or lifted far
15 Above this inn
16 And road of sin!
17Then either star or bird should be
18Shining or singing still to thee.
19I would I had in my best part
20Fit rooms for thee! or that my heart
21 Were so clean as
22 Thy manger was!
23But I am all filth, and obscene;
24Yet, if thou wilt, thou canst make clean.
25Sweet Jesu! will then. Let no more
26This leper haunt and soil thy door!
27 Cure him, ease him,
28 O release him!
29And let once more, by mystic birth,
30The Lord of life be born in earth.
Online text copyright © 2009, Ian Lancashire (the Department of English) and the University of Toronto.
Published by the Web Development Group, Information Technology Services, University of Toronto Libraries.
Original text: Henry Vaughan, Silex Scintillans (1650; facs. edn., Scolar Press, 1970). PR 3669 R2 1680AC Robarts Library
First publication date:
1650
RPO poem editor: N. J. Endicott
RP edition: 2RP.1.471; RPO 1996-2000.
Recent editing: 2:2002/6/7
Rhyme: aabbcc
Other poems by Henry Vaughan
