Friday, December 5, 2014

Yuletide Joy

 
THE OXEN
 
by Thomas Hardy
 
Christmas Eve, and twelve of the clock.
"Now they are all on their knees,"
An elder said as we sat in a flock
By the embers in hearthside ease.
 
We pictured the meek mild creatures where
They dwelt in their strawy pen,
Nor did it occur to one of us there
To doubt they were kneeling then.
 
So fair a fancy few would weave
In these years! Yet, I feel,
If someone said on Christmas Eve,
"Come; see the oxen kneel!
 
"In the lonely barton by yonder coomb
Our childhood used to know."
I should go with him in the gloom,
Hoping it might be so.
 
 
CHRISTMAS SONG
 
(Traditional)
 
The trees are all bare not a leaf to be seen
And the meadows their beauty have lost.
Now winter has come and 'tis cold for man and beast,
And the streams they are,
And the streams they are all fast bound down with frost. 
 
'Twas down in the farmyard where the oxen feed on straw,
They send forth their breath like steam.
Sweet Betsy the milkmaid now quickly she must go,
For flakes of ice she finds,
For flakes of ice she finds a-floating on her cream.
 
'Tis now all the small birds to the barn-door fly for food
And gently they rest on the spray.
A-down the plantation the hares do search for food,
And lift their footsteps sure,
Lift their footsteps sure for fear they do betray.
 
Now Christmas is come and our song is almost done
For we soon shall have the turn of the year.
So fill up your glasses and let your health go round,
For I wish you all,
For I wish you all a joyful New Year.
 
THE YULE DAYS
 
(Traditional)
 
The king sent his lady on the first Yule day,
A papingo-aye;
Wha learns my carol and carries it away!
 
The king sent his lady on the second Yule day,
Three partridges, a papingo-aye;
Wha learns my carol and carries it away!
 
The king sent his lady on the third Yule day,
Three plovers, three partridges, a papingo-aye;
Wha learns my carol and carries it away!
 
The king sent his lady on the fourth Yule day,
A goose that was gray,
Three plovers, three partridges, a papingo-aye;
Wha learns my carol and carries it away!
 
The king sent his lady on the fifth Yule day,
Three starlings, a goose that was gray,
Three plovers, three partridges, and a papingo-aye;
Wha learns my carol and carries it away!
 
A king sent his lady on the sixth Yule day,
Three goldspinks, three starlings, a goose that was gray,
Three plovers, three partridges, and a papingo-aye;
Wha learns my carol and carries it away!
 
A king sent his lady on the seventh Yule day,
A bull that was brown, three goldspinks, three starlings,
A goose that was gray,
Three plovers, three partridges, and a papingo-aye;
Wha learns my carol and carries it away!
 
The king sent his lady on the eighth Yule day,
Three ducks a-merry laying, a bull that was brown --
                                                                      [the rest to follow as before]
 
The king sent his lady on the ninth Yule day,
Three swans a-merry swimming --
                                         [as before]
 
The king sent his lady on the tenth Yule day,
An Arabian baboon --
                                         [as before]
 
The king sent his lady on the eleventh Yule day,
Three hinds a-merry hunting --
                                         [as before]
 
The king sent his lady on the twelfth Yule day,
Three maids a-merry dancing --
                                         [as before]
 
The king sent his lady on the thirteenth Yule day,
Three stalks o' merry corn, three maids a-merry dancing,
Three hinds a-merry hunting, an Arabian baboon,
Three swans a-merry swimming,
Three ducks a-merry swimming,
Three ducks a-merry laying, a bull that was brown,
Three goldspinks, three starlings, a goose that was gray,
Three plovers, three partridges, a papingo-aye;
Wha learns my carol and carries it away?
 
 
Yule: Christmaspapingo-aye: peacockgoldspink: goldfinch
 
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
BLESSED YULE!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
 
Dawn Pisturino