Robert Herrick

Here you will find thePoemAN ODE OF THE BIRTH OF OUR SAVIOURof poet Robert Herrick

AN ODE OF THE BIRTH OF OUR SAVIOUR

In numbers, and but these few, I sing thy birth, oh JESU! Thou pretty Baby, born here, With sup'rabundant scorn here; Who for thy princely port here, Hadst for thy place Of birth, a base Out-stable for thy court here. Instead of neat enclosures Of interwoven osiers; Instead of fragrant posies Of daffadils and roses, Thy cradle, kingly stranger, As gospel tells, Was nothing else, But, here, a homely manger. But we with silks, not cruels, With sundry precious jewels, And lily-work will dress thee; And as we dispossess thee Of clo}ts, we'll make a chamber, Sweet babe, for thee, Of ivory, And plaster'd round with amber. The Jews, they did disdain thee; But we will entertain thee With glories to await here, Upon thy princely state here, And more for love than pity: From year to year We'll make thee, here, A free-born of our city.