God rest ye Merry!

By God, take rest in Mirth!

Huddle closely orphan hearts.
Tonight let nothing you dismay.
Remember, remember, and hear it!
Hear the same bright syllables 
speed with ever-increasing potency
over the field of the ages 
to uncertain poor sheep herds.

The Virgin, tired like history,
bears forward now a child. 
Remember, remember, and see him
and know the strangest birth:
the Eldest into womb was spoke 
a capacity of flesh was found
to cradle Godhead's humble Crown.

Truly, truly it came to pass
and wakes the ashen hearth.
Remember, remember, and waken too!
The fuel greyed and spent became
to Flame Immortal fused -
a new thing now beneath the sun
the only Living Name. 

Join then, you orphan hearts,
by God, take rest in Mirth!
Remember, remember, holy birth!
You each a star - a signal placed
where Christ may rest and work,
Our flesh the swaddle of heaven's worth
His Body the Sacred Church.

I wrote this a few years ago and dug it out tonight to post. I love the song "God rest ye merry, Gentlemen". It's one of my favorite reminders of the Story of God's visitation when I have become dismayed and need those forgotten tidings of comfort and joy to ring out and resonate again in my tired heart. This is a poem idea from that song and the simple grammatical realization after nearly 30 years of hearing it that the comma is after "Merry" not before it. I had always thought the Gentlemen were Merry, but they're not! Ha!    Remember the tidings!