Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

WHAT TIDINGS? by ANONYMOUS

First Line: "THAT TIDINGS BRINGEST THOU, MESSENGER"
Last Line: THAT MAN HIS PAIN IS TURNED TO PLAY
Subject(s): CHRISTMAS CAROLS;
THAT @3tidings bringest thou, messenger,
Of Christës birth this jolly day?"@1

A Babe is born of high nature,
The Prince of peace that ever shall be;
Of heaven and earth He hath the cure,
His lordship is eternity.
@3Such wondrous tidings you may hear,
That man is made now Godës peer,
Whom sin had made but fiendës prey.@1

A wondrous thing doth now befall,
That King that formëd star and sun,
Heaven and earth and angels all,
Now in mankind is new begun,
@3Such wondrous tidings you may hear,
An infant of a single year,
That hath been ever and shall be aye.@1

That seemeth strange to us to see,
This bird that hath this Babe yborn,
And Lord conceived of high degree
A maiden is and was beforn.
@3Such wondrous tidings you may hear,
That maiden and mother are one in fere,
And she a lady of great array.@1

That loveliest gan greet her Child:
"Hail, Son! Hail, Brother! Hail, Father dear!"
"Hail, Daughter!" He saith: "Hail, Sister. Hail,
Mother mild!"
This hailing was on quaint manner.
@3Such wondrous tidings you may hear,
That hailing was of so good cheer,
That man his pain is turned to play.@1



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