From “Old Shepherd, Remembering” by Grace V. Watkins in Christmas: An American Annual of Christmas Literature and Art, Volume 43:
“You are too old for tending flocks of sheep,
Especially at night,” they tell me now,
The younger shepherds. “You would fall asleep
Or stumble in the dark.” If they could know
The hunger in my heart to be again
Within that field beneath the starlit sky!
It’s lonely when you are the only one
Still living who beheld the angels high
And radiantly fair, who heard their voices.
But oh, I know with flaming certainty
That I shall hear them, see those angel faces
Again. How bright, how glorious they will be
In vaster skies, in realms of loveliness
Beyond what earthbound hearts can dream or guess!
From “O Sanctissima” in The Carols of Christmas:
Day of holiness,
Peace and happiness,
Joyful, glorious Christmas Day.
Angels tell the story
Of this day of glory;
Praise Christ, our Saviour,
Born this Christmas Day.
Oh, how joyfully,
Oh, how merrily,
Christmas comes with its peace divine!
Peace on earth is reigning,
Christ our peace regaining;
hail, ye Christians,
hail the joyous Christmastime!
Oh. how joyfully,
Oh, how merrily,
Christmas comes with its life divine!
Angels high in glory
Chant the Christmas story;
hail, ye Christians,
hail the joyous Christmastime!
