Here it is...this year's Christmas Poem...
I wrote this for our candlelit carol service at St Matthew's last night. You need to imagine it read by 2 voices, one male and booming (Mr Wheelybin), and one female and a bit whispery (me, with the Cold From Hell). Also some rather lovely and evocative guitar and piano backing, which led seamlessly into the next carol - O Come O Come Emmanuel (I gave 2 musicians this version by Sufjan Stevens, and they played about with the concept - only without the words). I was aiming for 'solemn joy', the kind that makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up...think we got there. I enjoyed it, anyway. Which, given the way I feel at the moment, is saying something.
Come, all ye
faithful. Come and gaze
At mysteries
beyond this age.
Come together,
come alone
Come kneel
before this meager throne.
Come, you Adams
and you Eves
In unnumbered,
countless throng
Follow the call
that you’ve received:
Come and join
the heavenly song.
Come, you
populace of dust
Come meet the
promised God-with-us.
The One who
painted starry skies
And now within a
manger lies.
Come believers,
come you doubters
Come with joy
and penitance
Welcome
Abraham’s sons and daughters
Come, join hands
and start the dance.
The promise of
forgotten days
The word the
patriarchs obeyed
A vision of the
stars and sand
A multitude, to
fill the land;
Come now, you
multitude, to hear
The angels sing
of God made man:
The Word made
flesh, the Prince of Peace
Now born a son
of Abraham.
Come, come, you
chosen sisters, brothers
Come, come, and
dance with one another
Take delight in
knowing he
Who takes
delight in knowing thee.
Come bend the
knee, and raise your sight
Towards the Lord
of heaven and earth
Come welcome in
his dawning light
Come sing for
joy at heaven’s birth.
TAW
December 2011
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