THE Elgin-born cleric and nature-lover combines both strands of his life in this quiet piece for the nativity season.
It can be found in his Selected Poems (Carcanet, £9.95).
CHRISTMAS DAY
Last night in the open shippen
The Infant Jesus lay,
While cows stood at the hay-crib
Twitching the sweet hay.
As I trudged through the snow-fields
That lay in their own light,
A thorn-bush with its shadow
Stood doubled on the night.
And I stayed on my journey
To listen to the cheep
Of a small bird in the thorn-bush
I woke from its puffed sleep.
The bright stars were my angels
And with the heavenly host
I sang praise to the Father,
The Son and Holy Ghost.
shippen=cattle-shed
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