The Year Of The Trouble In Lancashire <br /> <br />The skies are pale, the trees are stiff, <br />The earth is dull and old; <br />The frost is glittering as if <br />The very sun were cold. <br />And hunger fell is joined with frost, <br />To make men thin and wan: <br />Come, babe, from heaven, or we are lost; <br />Be born, O child of man. <br /> <br />The children cry, the women shake, <br />The strong men stare about; <br />They sleep when they should be awake, <br />They wake ere night is out. <br />For they have lost their heritage- <br />No sweat is on their brow: <br />Come, babe, and bring them work and wage; <br />Be born, and save us now. <br /> <br />Across the sea, beyond our sight, <br />Roars on the fierce debate; <br />The men go down in bloody fight, <br />The women weep and hate; <br />And in the right be which that may, <br />Surely the strife is long! <br />Come, son of man, thy righteous way, <br />And right will have no wrong. <br /> <br />Good men speak lies against thine own- <br />Tongue quick, and hearing slow; <br />They will not let thee walk alone, <br />And think to serve thee so: <br />If they the children's freedom saw <br />In thee, the children's king, <br />They would be still with holy awe, <br />Or only speak to sing. <br /> <br />Some neither lie nor starve nor fight, <br />Nor yet the poor deny; <br />But in their hearts all is not right,- <br />They often sit and sigh. <br />We need thee every day and hour, <br />In sunshine and in snow: <br />Child-king, we pray with all our power- <br />Be born, and save us so. <br /> <br />We are but men and women, Lord; <br />Thou art a gracious child! <br />O fill our hearts, and heap our board, <br />Pray thee-the winter's wild! <br />The sky is sad, the trees are bare, <br />Hunger and hate about: <br />Come, child, and ill deeds and ill fare <br />Will soon be driven out.<br /><br />George MacDonald<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/a-christmas-carol-for-1862/
