Can We Talk 2

In The Bleak Midwinter

I came across a carol not heard that often from the early 1900's. It's actually very beautiful. It's a poem written by Christina Rosetti, a well-known English poet. The music to the hymn was written by Gustav Holst, known for his composition The Planets. The poem was written prior to 1874. It was set to music in 1904,

Some apparently have questioned the theology of the verses, but others have found it justifiable in scriptures, leaving room for thought and debate. Rosetti, born into an artistic family, lived during the "Little Ice Age" of Europe. Their winters were much colder than known previously or since.Her poem reflects her own life time and climate than the Bible story, since it was unlikely that Israel would have known snow or much of a winter at the time of Christ's birth. What is even more important to Rosetti is a spiritual bleakness, not the physical winter.

She was a volunteer at a hospital for "fallen women", where unmarried women frequently gave birth and learned to raise their babies. She saw poor young women with their firstborn, loving them, and, probably, related that to the young Mary. The last verse is meant to be reflective for all of us, but again, it reflects the poverty of these women in the charitable hospital.

Most hymn books, if they include this song at all, omit the third verse. It's a hard poem to set to music because of the irregular rhythm. It's quite beautiful when done well. It sounds like Holtz, but it's not easy for congregational singing.

In The Bleak Midwinter

In the bleak mid-winter
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 mid-winter
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 mid-winter
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 a lamb;
If I were a wise man
I would do my part;
Yet what I can, I give Him -
Give my heart