Christmas song collection

Just as I did a summer flower collection, I hope to do the same this holiday season with Christmas songs or hymns.

Here's the first selection:

Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed. 1919. The Oxford Book of English Verse: 1250–1900.

Isaac Watts. 1674–1748

435. A Cradle Hymn

HUSH! my dear, lie still and slumber,
Holy angels guard thy bed!
Heavenly blessings without number
Gently falling on thy head.
Sleep, my babe; thy food and raiment,	5
House and home, thy friends provide;
All without thy care or payment:
All thy wants are well supplied.
How much better thou'rt attended
Than the Son of God could be,	10
When from heaven He descended
And became a child like thee!
Soft and easy is thy cradle:
Coarse and hard thy Saviour lay,
When His birthplace was a stable	15
And His softest bed was hay.
Blessèd babe! what glorious features—
Spotless fair, divinely bright!
Must He dwell with brutal creatures?
How could angels bear the sight?	20
Was there nothing but a manger
Cursèd sinners could afford
To receive the heavenly stranger?
Did they thus affront their Lord?
Soft, my child: I did not chide thee,	25
Though my song might sound too hard;
'Tis thy mother sits beside thee,
And her arms shall be thy guard.
Yet to read the shameful story
How the Jews abused their King,	30
How they served the Lord of Glory,
Makes me angry while I sing.
See the kinder shepherds round Him,
Telling wonders from the sky!
Where they sought Him, there they found Him,	35
With His Virgin mother by.
See the lovely babe a-dressing;
Lovely infant, how He smiled!
When He wept, the mother's blessing
Soothed and hush'd the holy child.	40
Lo, He slumbers in His manger,
Where the hornèd oxen fed:
Peace, my darling; here 's no danger,
Here 's no ox anear thy bed.
'Twas to save thee, child, from dying,	45
Save my dear from burning flame,
Bitter groans and endless crying,
That thy blest Redeemer came.
May'st thou live to know and fear Him,
Trust and love Him all thy days;	50
Then go dwell for ever near Him,
See His face, and sing His praise!

Why, Hello Little Guys

In my gardeners ignorance, I thought in July that it would be okay to plant my newly attained white narcissus. I waited all summer for the beautiful bulbs to spring up from their pots, but to no avail. Now in the beginning of November, I'm finally starting to see some action:

And it also looks as though I'll soon have a tomato to eat:

Stock

Blooms spring to fall. Good cover for bulbs when they've finished flowering. Likes nooks and crannies.

I love them.

Untitled

How many

Times will my heart

Dive down below

Just to rise again then be

Pressed to the floor?

In all, I

Try, love anew.

My hopes dive, rushed

Toward earth and despair,

Spinning to stop.

At what point

Does my heart learn,

Come to know,

That this field of air

Takes no pris’ners?