Christmas Day, 1850 + 

Beautiful stories wed with lovely days + 

Like words and music:⁠—what shall be the tale + 

Of love and nobleness that might avail + 

To express in action what this sweetness says⁠— + 

The sweetness of a day of airs and rays + 

That are strange glories on the winter pale? + 

Alas, O beauty, all my fancies fail! + 

I cannot tell a story in thy praise! + 

Thou hast, thou hast one⁠—set, and sure to chime + 

With thee, as with the days of “winter wild;” + 

For Joy like Sorrow loves his blessed feet + 

Who shone from Heaven on Earth this Christmas-time + 

A Brother and a Saviour, Mary’s child!⁠— + 

And so, fair day, thou hast thy story sweet. + 