Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, ed. Poems of Places: An Anthology in 31 Volumes.
Asia: Vols. XXI–XXIII. 1876–79. | | | | Syria: Bethlehem | | The Shepherds’ Song | | William Drummond of Hawthornden (1585–1649) |
| | | O THAN the fairest day, thrice fairer night! | |
| Night to best days in which a sun doth rise, | |
| Of which that golden eye, which clears the skies, | |
| Is but a sparkling ray, a shadow light: | |
| And blessed ye, in silly pastor’s sight, | 5 |
| Mild creatures, in whose warm crib now lies | |
| That heaven-sent Youngling, holy maid-born Wight, | |
| Midst, end, beginning of our prophesies: | |
| Blest cottage that hath flowers in winter spread, | |
| Though withered; blessed grass, that hath the grace | 10 |
| To deck, and be a carpet to that place. | |
| Thus sang, unto the sounds of oaten reed, | |
| Before the Babe, the shepherds bowed on knees, | |
| And springs ran nectar, honey dropt from trees. | | | | |
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