Fifty Christmas Poems for Children, by Florence B. Hyett, [1923], at sacred-texts.com
WHY is there such a dancing din
About the stable of the inn?
"An old man, winter white, is here
A wayfarer he doth appear."
"If this be all, why is the night
Lit up with this unearthly light?"
"A maid, the fairest maid, is here,
Some great Lady she doth appear."
"But even so, why do there fly
Such flocks of Angels from the sky?"
"A Babe, a most sweet flower, is here,
A Child from Heaven He doth appear."
COCKADOODLEDOO!
Our Lady's lost her shoe,
St. Joseph's lost his lantern,
What will they do?
The Child will be both Shoes and Staff
And a Lantern too.
In the dark night He'll be their Light.
And their Guide so true
Cockadoodledoo!
They that slept for sorrow
Wake on a glad morrow,
Their goal won,
Their travel done,
Their trouble thro'--
How cunning is His little laugh
His eyes how blue!
Cockadoodledoo!
The sun is high in Egypt's sky,
Cockadoodledoo!
BABES in the wood
Babes in the tower,
Babes killed at Childermas
In an evil hour,
Babe safe in Egypt
From the tyrant's power,
Wicked uncles, wicked kings,
Robbers counting chains and rings,
Wicked kings who killed for greed,
A good thief who stole for need,
Herod gone and Crookback sped,
The old villainous uncle dead,
When the Babe is crowned a King
That good thief will find his meed
In a green place where robins sing,
Where the holy babes and meek
In the wood play hide-and-seek.
--R. L. GALES