Meditation

Rorate Coeli desuper, et nubes pluant Justum.
Aperiatur Terra, et germinet Salvatorem.

No sudden thing of glory and fear
    Was the Lord's coming; but the dear
Slow Nature's days followed each other
To form the Saviour from his Mother
-One of the children of the year.

The earth, the rain, received the trust,
-The sun and dews, to frame the Just.
    He drew his daily life from these,
    According to his own decrees
Who makes man from the fertile dust.

Sweet summer and the winter wild,
These brought him forth, the Undefiled.
    The happy Springs renewed again
    His daily bread, the growing grain,
The food and raiment of the Child.

Alice Meynell

Alice Meynell was an English writer, editor, critic, and suffragist, now remembered mainly as a poet. Born on September 11, 1847, she grew up in a literary family and published her first book of poems, "Preludes," in 1875. She married the editor Wilfrid Meynell in 1877 and joined him in literary and journalistic endeavors. Meynell's worked in the women's suffrage movement, advocating for her rights through her writings. She died on November 27, 1922, leaving behind a legacy of lyrical and meditative poetry.

Alice Meynell

The Lady Poverty

Alice Meynell, Simple Poetry

Builders Of Ruins

Alice Meynell, Simple Poetry

Song

Alice Meynell, Simple Poetry

Future Poetry

Alice Meynell, Simple Poetry

English

Suggested Poems

Explore a curated selection of verses that share themes, styles, and emotional resonance with the poem you've just read.

Meditation

Rorate Coeli desuper, et nubes pluant Justum.
Aperiatur Terra, et germinet Salvatorem.

No sudden thing of glory and fear
    Was the Lord's coming; but the dear
Slow Nature's days followed each other
To form the Saviour from his Mother
--One of the children of the year.

The earth, the rain, received the trust,
--The sun and dews, to frame the Just.
    He drew his daily life from these,
    According to his own decrees
Who makes man from the fertile dust.

Sweet summer and the winter wild,
These brought him forth, the Undefiled.
    The happy Springs renewed again
    His daily bread, the growing grain,
The food and raiment of the Child.

Alice Christiana Thompson Meynell

Our Saviour's Boyhood.

With what a flood of wondrous thoughts
    Each Christian breast must swell
When, wandering back through ages past,
    With simple faith they dwell
On quiet Nazareth's sacred sod,
Where the Child Saviour's footsteps trod.

Awe-struck we picture to ourselves
    That brow serene and fair,
That gentle face, the long rich curls
    Of wavy golden hair,
And those deep wondrous, star-like eyes,
Holy and calm as midnight skies.

We see Him in the work-shop shed
    With Joseph, wise and good,
Obedient to His guardian's word,
    Docile and meek of mood;
The Mighty Lord of Heaven and Earth
Toiling like one of lowly birth.

Or else, with His young Mother fair -
    That sinless, spotless one,
Who watched with fond and reverent care,...

Rosanna Eleanor Leprohon

The Manger Throne

Like silver lamps in a distant shrine,
The stars are sparkling bright
The bells of the city of God ring out,
For the Son of Mary is born to-night.
The gloom is past and the morn at last
Is coming with orient light.

Never fell melodies half so sweet
As those which are filling the skies,
And never a palace shone half so fair
As the manger bed where our Saviour lies;
No night in the year is half so dear
As this which has ended our sighs.

Now a new Power has come on the earth,
A match for the armies of Hell:
A Child is born who shall conquer the foe,
And all the spirits of wickedness quell:
For Marys Son is the Mighty One
Whom the prophets of God fortell.

The stars of heaven still shine as at first
They gleamed on this wonderful n...

William Chatterton Dix

Christmas Carols.

1.

Whoso hears a chiming for Christmas at the nighest,
Hears a sound like Angels chanting in their glee,
Hears a sound like palm-boughs waving in the highest,
Hears a sound like ripple of a crystal sea.

Sweeter than a prayer-bell for a saint in dying,
Sweeter than a death-bell for a saint at rest,
Music struck in Heaven with earth's faint replying,
"Life is good, and death is good, for Christ is Best."


2.

A holy, heavenly chime
Rings fulness in of time,
And on His Mother's breast
Our Lord God ever-Blest
Is laid a Babe at rest.

Stoop, Spirits unused to stoop,
Swoop, Angels, flying swoop,
Adoring as you gaze,
Uplifting hymns of praise, -
"Grace to the Full of Grace!"

The cave is cold and strait
T...

Christina Georgina Rossetti

Hymn For Christmas-Day (Hymnus VIII. Kalendas Ianuarias)

Hymnus VIII. Kalendas Ianuarias


        Quid est, quod artum circulum
    sol iam recurrens deserit?
    Christusne terris nascitur,
    qui lucis auget tramitem?

        Heu quam fugacem gratiam
    festina volvebat dies,
    quam pene subductam facem
    sensim recisa extinxerat!

        Caelum nitescat laetius,
    gratetur et gaudens humus,
    scandit gradatim denuo
    iubar priores lineas.

        Emerge dulcis pusio,
    quem mater edit castitas,
    parens et expers coniugis,
    mediator et duplex genus.

        Ex ore quamlibet Patris
    sis ortus et verbo editus,
    tamen paterno in pectore
    sophia callebas prius.

        Quae prompta caelum condidit,
    caelum diemque et...

Aurelius Clemens Prudentius

An Old Story

    In the ancient house of ages,
        See, they cannot rest!
    With a hope, which awe assuages,
        Tremble all the blest.
    For the son and heir eternal,
        To be son yet more,
    Leaves his stately chair supernal
        For the earth's low floor;

    Leaves the room so high and old,
        Leaves the all-world hearth,
    Seeks the out-air, frosty-cold,
        Of the twilight earth--
    To be throned in newer glory
        In a mother's lap,
    Gather up our broken story,
        And right every hap.


II.

    There Earth's foster-baby lies,
        Sleep-dimmed all his graces,
    'Neath four stars of parents' eyes,
        And two heavens of faces!
    See! the cow and ass, dumb-staring,...

George MacDonald