Enjoy yet another collection of Christmas and winter themed poems!

The Burning Babe

Robert Southwell (1561—1595)

This is one of those bizarre poems that catches you by surprise when you come across it. The images are wild and utterly unique; you won't find anything like it in any other Christmas poem. We only really know it's a Christmas poem because it calls itself one in the final line.

What makes this poem bewildering is that it is both mysterious and also self-descriptive. The so-called Burning Babe addresses the author, explaining his state and providing the meaning for each of the elements. The fuel is Justice, love is the fire, and so on. Yet, even with this self-description, we are still left scrambling at the end to bind it all together.

I love it when poems end in this way, leaving your mouth open in surprise and confusion. To some it may be frustrating, but take heart! It is merely an invitation for you to read it again and scratch away at its meaning.

Brightest and Best

Reginald Heber (1783-1826)

Here is another Christmas hymn written by the same man who wrote the beautiful "Holy, Holy, Holy" hymn. It is written in a dactylic foot, which is a three syllable foot where the stress is on the first syllable ("BRIGHTest and / BEST of the..."). This foot, like the anapest, has a rolling rhythm which I quite enjoy. Like Rossetti's "A Christmas Carol," this hymn considers what gifts we ought to bring the newborn King.

La Corona

John Donne (1572-1631)

This is what's known as a Crown of Sonnets, a collection of sonnets that are chained together in a circular fashion. The last line of each sonnet is the first line of the next sonnet, the final one ending with the first line of the first sonnet. They are typically focused on one particular subject, each sonnet exploring some particular quality or attribute.

In this collection, Donne focuses on the life of Christ from the Annunciation (the angel appearing to Mary) to the Ascension. While they are all meant to be read together, you can easily just read the second and third sonnets, which are specifically relevant to the Christmas season. Either way, you will find in them rich poetry in the typical Donne fashion.

Not Enough

Abram Newcomer

This short poem was written last Monday when we woke up to a fresh snowfall. Though school wasn't cancelled, I seriously considered pulling the dad card and skipping school (and work) to go sledding. But responsibility won out. The kids went to school, I went to work, and the weather turned warm and melted much of the snow by the end of the day. It’s hard to be an adult and also a child.

I hope these poems find you well. Have a Merry Christmas!