"In the Bleak Midwinter" is a Christmas carol based on a poem by the English poet Christina Rossetti. The poem was published, under the title "A Christmas Carol", in the January 1872 issue of Scribner's Monthly. The first time it was set to music was in 1906 Gustav Hoist. Another version was composed by Harold Darke.
Christina Rosetti was a prolific writer and one of three highly creative children. She was very lively as a child and apparently dictated her first story to her mother before she could even write. But her poetry was what brought her acclaim. Sadly she battled both physical and mental health issues throughout her life and she died at the age of 64. In the Bleak Midwinter was one of two Christmas carols she wrote (Love Came Down at Christmas is the other) but it was not as popular during her lifetime as it was after her death.
Harold and Horace James have taken to illustrating the poem's most well-known verse for you, but since it is such a beautiful poem, we thought we'd post it in its entirety here.
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.
@grammyn Thanks Katy! Both the gift box and heart were a table favor at a wedding vow renewal we went to this summer. Who would have known they'd come in handy for this!
@randystreat Good point Kathy- I matched up Harold's ribbon. My other idea was to set this pair into a very wintery scene but just didn't have the time to go poking around the archives to find an appropriate one. But, I agree with you- the vibrant colors are not as bleak as the mid-winter! @777margo Thank you Margo and thank you for the fav!! @Dawn Thank you Dawn!
@mittens @mave @haskar @pyrrhula
Thank you Marilyn, Mave, Haskar and Ferry!
@777margo Thank you Margo and thank you for the fav!!
@Dawn Thank you Dawn!