A New/Old Yuletide Song

Here's a Yuletide gift to you from Craig and me — an MP3 file of his revised version of Christina Rossetti's "In the Bleak Midwinter."  May it bless you as much as it's blessed all of us.

Click here to download Craig's version of "In the Bleak Midwinter."

In the Bleak Midwinter    (revised lyrics by Craig Olson)

In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone.
Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,
In the bleak midwinter, long ago.

Darkness cannot hold you, nor your sorrows keep,
All the earth awakens from this winter's sleep.
In the bleak midwinter a stable place shall be,
Filled with home and harvest, blessed family.

Lovers, friends and dreamers, we are gathered here,
Candles on this darkest night of the year.
Still our Mother only, in her earthly bliss,
Holds her dear beloved, softly with a kiss.

What then shall I give her, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;
and if I were a wise one, I would do my part,
yet what I can I'll give her, I will give my heart.

Footnote:
Original Text: Christina G. Rossetti, 1830-1894
Revised Text 2006;  B. Craig Olson, 1957-
Music: Gustav Holst, 1874-1934
Tune: CRANHAM, Meter: Irr.

Comments

[Trish]

What a beautiful song and rendition! I'm so glad to see you posting more regularly again and hope you and your family are healing from the past year.

Winter blessings,
Trish

[KerrdeLune (Cate)]

Joanna, my birthday was on December 11. This blog entry about your Lucia celebrations and Craig's magnificent rendering of my favourite carol, "In the Bleak Midwinter" were the finest gifts I could have received. I just had to link here from my Christmas Carol meme where the Rossetti/Holst carol is at the very top of the list). Thank you from the bottom of my heart - both of you! Love and BB, Cate

[endment]

visiting from Beyond the Fields We Know
I am very touched by the wonderful song.
Thank you This is so special

[Laura]

Thanks for the song - it's a very lovely one!