Peace? and to all the world? sure, One <br />And He the Prince of Peace, hath none. <br />He travels to be born, and then <br />Is born to travel more again. <br />Poor Galilee! thou canst not be <br />The place for His nativity. <br />His restless mother's called away, <br />And not delivered till she pay. <br />A tax? 'tis so still! we can see <br />The church thrive in her misery; <br />And like her Head at Bethlem, rise <br />When she, oppressed with troubles, lies. <br />Rise? should all fall, we cannot be <br />In more extremities than He. <br />Great Type of passions! come what will, <br />Thy grief exceeds all copies still. <br />Thou cam'st from heaven to earth, that we <br />Might go from earth to heaven with Thee. <br />And though Thou foundest no welcome here, <br />Thou didst provide us mansions there. <br />A stable was Thy court, and when <br />Men turned to beasts, beasts would be men. <br />They were Thy courtiers, others none; <br />And their poor manger was Thy throne. <br />No swaddling silks Thy limbs did fold, <br />Though Thou couldst turn Thy rays to gold. <br />No rockers waited on Thy birth, <br />No cradles stirred, nor songs of mirth; <br />But her chaste lap and sacred breast <br />Which lodged Thee first did give Thee rest. <br />But stay: what light is that doth stream, <br />And drop here in a gilded beam? <br />It is Thy star runs page, and brings <br />Thy tributary Eastern kings. <br />Lord! grant some light to us, that we <br />May with them find the way to Thee. <br />Behold what mists eclipse the day: <br />How dark it is! shed down one ray <br />To guide us out of this sad night, <br />And say once more, "Let there be light."<br /><br />Henry Vaughan<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-nativity/
