Christmas Morning

<SPAN name="startofbook"></SPAN> <h2>CHRISTMAS MORNING</h2> <div class="stanza"> <span class="i0">The angel host that sped last night,<br/></span> <span class="i1">Bearing the wondrous news afar,<br/></span> <span class="i0">Came in their ever-glorious flight<br/></span> <span class="i1">Unto a slumbering little star.<br/></span></div> <div class="stanza"> <span class="i0">"Awake and sing, O star!" they cried.<br/></span> <span class="i1">"Awake and glorify the morn!<br/></span> <span class="i0">Herald the tidings far and wide&mdash;<br/></span> <span class="i1">He that shall lead His flock is born!"<br/></span></div> <div class="stanza"> <span class="i0">The little star awoke and sung<br/></span> <span class="i1">As only stars in rapture may,<br/></span> <span class="i0">And presently where church bells hung<br/></span> <span class="i1">The joyous tidings found their way.<br/></span></div> <div class="stanza"> <span class="i0">"Awake, O bells! 'tis Christmas morn&mdash;<br/></span> <span class="i1">Awake and let thy music tell<br/></span> <span class="i0">To all mankind that now is born<br/></span> <span class="i1">What Shepherd loves His lambkins well!"<br/></span></div> <div class="stanza"> <span class="i0">Then rang the bells as fled the night<br/></span> <span class="i1">O'er dreaming land and drowsing deep,<br/></span> <span class="i0">And coming with the morning light,<br/></span> <span class="i1">They called, my child, to you asleep.<br/></span></div> <div class="stanza"> <span class="i0">Sweetly and tenderly they spoke,<br/></span> <span class="i1">And lingering round your little bed,<br/></span> <span class="i0">Their music pleaded till you woke,<br/></span> <span class="i1">And this is what their music said:<br/></span></div> <div class="stanza"> <span class="i0">"Awake and sing! 't is Christmas morn,<br/></span> <span class="i1">Whereon all earth salutes her King!<br/></span> <span class="i0">In Bethlehem is the Shepherd born.<br/></span> <span class="i1">Awake, O little lamb, and sing!"<br/></span></div> <div class="stanza"> <span class="i0">So, dear my child, kneel at my feet,<br/></span> <span class="i1">And with those voices from above<br/></span> <span class="i0">Share thou this holy time with me,<br/></span> <span class="i1">The universal hymn of love.<br/></span></div> <div style="break-after:column;"></div><br />