YET if His Majesty, our sovereign lord, <br />Should of his own accord <br />Friendly himself invite, <br />And say 'I'll be your guest to-morrow night,' <br />How should we stir ourselves, call and command <br />All hands to work! 'Let no man idle stand! <br /> <br />'Set me fine Spanish tables in the hall; <br />See they be fitted all; <br />Let there be room to eat <br />And order taken that there want no meat. <br />See every sconce and candlestick made bright, <br />That without tapers they may give a light. <br /> <br />'Look to the presence: are the carpets spread, <br />The dazie o'er the head, <br />The cushions in the chairs, <br />And all the candles lighted on the stairs? <br />Perfume the chambers, and in any case <br />Let each man give attendance in his place!' <br /> <br />Thus, if a king were coming, would we do; <br />And 'twere good reason too; <br />For 'tis a duteous thing <br />To show all honour to an earthly king, <br />And after all our travail and our cost, <br />So he be pleased, to think no labour lost. <br /> <br />But at the coming of the King of Heaven <br />All 's set at six and seven; <br />We wallow in our sin, <br />Christ cannot find a chamber in the inn. <br />We entertain Him always like a stranger, <br />And, as at first, still lodge Him in the manger.<br /><br />Anonymous<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/preparations/
