The Oxen: A poem by Thomas Hardy
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,
Nor 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,
Hoping it might be so.
Hardy’s beautiful poem refers to a folk myth that at midnight on Christmas Eve the animals in the stable kneel down to honour the baby Jesus, marking their alleged presence at the original nativity scene in Bethlehem.
The picture is by Meister Francke, and was painted in 1424. It came from the Athenaeum website.
published 1915
"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,
Nor 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,
Hoping it might be so.
A HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL READERS OF THE BLOG
Hardy’s beautiful poem refers to a folk myth that at midnight on Christmas Eve the animals in the stable kneel down to honour the baby Jesus, marking their alleged presence at the original nativity scene in Bethlehem.
The picture is by Meister Francke, and was painted in 1424. It came from the Athenaeum website.
Merry Christmas Moira
ReplyDeleteThanks Sergio, you too.
DeleteMerry Christmas!
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas to you too Vicki
DeleteHappy Christmas, Moira! I hope you have a wonderful holiday!
ReplyDeleteYou too Margot, hope you enjoyed your day
DeleteMerry Christmas, Moira! Thanks for sharing this lovely poem by one of my favourite Classics authors.
ReplyDeleteThanks Prashant, and Happy Christmas to you too. I love Hardy, and particularly his poems.
DeleteMerry Christmas, Moira!
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas Jose Ignacio.
DeleteMoira: Thanks for a lovely post.
ReplyDeleteWhile our farm did not have cattle and other livestock our neighbours all had them. I always thought that the stable was certainly not comfortable for the Holy Family but a barn was a warm and comforting place and a manger filled with fresh hay an inviting place for a baby in swaddling clothes.
Merry Christmas!
What a nice thought Bill, thanks for sharing it with us and a Happy Christmas to you and yours.
DeleteMerry Christmas a day late. Hope you had a good time and that the new year will bring good things.
ReplyDeleteThanks Tracy, and a happy Christmas to you and yours too.
DeleteA bleated Happy Christmas, Moira. I hope you had a lovely day with your family.
ReplyDeleteThank you Sarah, and the same to you.
DeleteIs it too early to wish you a Happy New Year, cos I'm woefully late for Christmas?
ReplyDeleteI'll let you off - Happy Christmas and Happy New Year to you and yours.
Delete