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Home  »  Complete Poetical Works by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow  »  Part II. The Golden Legend. III. IV. The Nativity: A Miracle-Play. III. The Angels of the Seven Planets Bearing the Star of Bethlehem

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807–1882). Complete Poetical Works. 1893.

Christus: A Mystery

Part II. The Golden Legend. III. IV. The Nativity: A Miracle-Play. III. The Angels of the Seven Planets Bearing the Star of Bethlehem

THE ANGELS.
THE ANGELS of the Planets Seven,

Across the shining fields of heaven

The natal star we bring!

Dropping our sevenfold virtues down

As priceless jewels in the crown

Of Christ, our new-born King.

RAPHAEL.
I am the Angel of the Sun,

Whose flaming wheels began to run

When God’s almighty breath

Said to the darkness and the Night,

Let there be light! and there was light

I bring the gift of Faith.

ONAFIEL.
I am the Angel of the Moon,

Darkened to be rekindled soon

Beneath the azure cope!

Nearest to earth, it is my ray

That best illumes the midnight way;

I bring the gift of Hope!

ANAEL.
The Angel of the Star of Love,

The Evening Star, that shines above

The place where lovers be,

Above all happy hearths and homes,

On roofs of thatch, or golden domes,

I give him Charity!

ZOBIACHEL.
The Planet Jupiter is mine!

The mightiest star of all that shine,

Except the sun alone!

He is the High Priest of the Dove,

And sends, from his great throne above,

Justice, that shall atone!

MICHAEL.
The Planet Mercury, whose place

Is nearest to the sun in space,

Is my allotted sphere!

And with celestial ardor swift

I bear upon my hands the gift

Of heavenly Prudence here!

URIEL.
I am the Minister of Mars,

The strongest star among the stars!

My songs of power prelude

The march and battle of man’s life,

And for the suffering and the strife,

I give him Fortitude!

ORIFEL.
The Angel of the uttermost

Of all the shining, heavenly host,

From the far-off expanse

Of the Saturnian, endless space

I bring the last, the crowning grace,

The gift of Temperance!

A sudden light shines from the windows of the stable in the village below.