On Christmas night I heard that cry - de Lange, Huub

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"Number 3 of ''Christmas Songs (Huub de Lange)''. For more choral settings by Huub de Lange of poems by Alice V. Stuart see ''Four Stuart Songs (Huub de Lange)'' and ''The Voice (Huub de Lange)''."

◈ Genre → Carols ♬ Voicing → SATB ¶ Language → English

Parts 4

Instruments A cappella

CPDL # 36734

Editor Huub de Lange

Posted 2015-09-22

License Personal

¶Lyrics / Text

On Christmas night I heard that cry that pierces women’s heart too nigh, the cry of a new-born child, the reluctant spirit, trapped as man thrust in a world that thwarts God’s plan, wailing, unreconciled. Methought the thin and mounting woe pierced to those stars that earth below watch in their silent scorn. Was it the child of holy birth or all the babes o’er all the earth that sorrowed being born? O world, two thousand years have flown since first, divinely, to His own came the child avatar what of the golden age, God given, heralded by the hosts of heaven ‘neath that earthstooping star? Alas! the millennial tale of wrong still, still belies the angel song and life gainsays goodwill. The tender soul endues is flesh in an alien world, and dies afresh our frustrate savior still. When shall that generation rise potent to pattern on the skies this earthly fief of God, and mothers no more weep to see their babes’ incarnate innocency martyred in flesh and blood. On Christmas night I heard that cry that pierces women’s heart too nigh, an infant’s wail forlorn. Was it the Child of holy birth or all the babes o’er all the earth that sorrowed, being born?