[Gocamino] Christmas Eve

[Blaroli at aol.com]

Dear friends,

Here's a Christmas Eve poem written by Thomas Hardy  (1840-1928):

        THE OXEN

Christmas Eve, and twelve of the clock.
    "Now they are all on their knees,"
An elder said as we sat in a flock
    By the embers in hearthside ease.

We pictured the meek mild creatures where
    They dwelt in their strawy pen,
Not did it occur to one of us there
    To doubt they were kneeling then.

So fair a fancy few would weave
    In these years! Yet, I feel,
If someone said on Christmas Eve,
    "Come, see the oxen kneel

In the lonely barton by yonder coomb
    Our childhood used to know,"
I should go with him in the gloom
    Knowing it would be so.

                        ------


May it be so as well for all of us.

Have a Merry Christmas, dear, dear friends.

With much affection, 

Rosina