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Advent Hymnals

SDA Hymnal 126

In the Bleak Midwinter

Words: Christina RossettiMusic: Gustav HolstTune: CranhamIrregular

Studio

1In 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.

2Angels and archangels
May have gathered there,
Cherubim and seraphim
Thronged the air:
But His mother only,
In her maiden bliss,
Worshiped the beloved
With a kiss.

3What can I give Him,
Poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd,
I would bring a lamb;
If I were a wise man,
I would do my part;
Yet what I can I give Him:
Give my heart.

Scripture
Luke 2:7

Public Domain

The verse

Meter
6.5.6.5.7.3.6.3
Foot
trochaic (DUM-da) · 60% of beats fit
Rhyme
ABCBDDAD
Scan every line

/ stressed · ˘ unstressed · ? not in the dictionary

Verse 1

In the bleak midwinter,˘˘///˘6A
Frosty wind made moan,/˘///5B
Earth stood hard as iron,///˘/˘6C
Water like a stone;/˘/˘/5B
Snow had fallen, snow on snow,/˘/˘/˘/7D
Snow on snow,/˘/3D
In the bleak midwinter,˘˘///˘6A
Long ago./˘/3D

Verse 2

Angels and archangels/˘˘//˘6A
May have gathered there,˘˘/˘/5B
Cherubim and seraphim???˘/˘/7C
Thronged the air:/˘/3B
But His mother only,˘˘/˘/˘6D
In her maiden bliss,˘˘/˘/5E
Worshiped the beloved/˘˘˘/5F
With a kiss.˘˘/3E

Verse 3

What can I give Him,˘˘˘/˘5A
Poor as I am?/˘˘˘4B
If I were a shepherd,˘˘˘˘/˘6C
I would bring a lamb;˘˘/˘/5B
If I were a wise man,˘˘˘˘//6D
I would do my part;˘˘˘˘/5E
Yet what I can I give Him:/˘˘˘˘/˘7A
Give my heart./˘/3E

Counted by machine from the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. It cannot hear emphasis or a poet’s licence, so treat it as a place to start reading, not the last word.