As I in hoary winter\u2019s night stood shivering in the snow,
\nSurpris\u2019d I was with sudden heat which made my heart to glow;
\nAnd lifting up a fearful eye to view what fire was near,
\nA pretty Babe all burning bright did in the air appear;
\nWho, scorched with excessive heat, such floods of tears did shed
\nAs though his floods should quench his flames which with his tears were fed.
\n\u201cAlas!\u201d quoth he, \u201cbut newly born, in fiery heats I fry,
\nYet none approach to warm their hearts or feel my fire but I!
\nMy faultless breast the furnace is, the fuel wounding thorns,
\nLove is the fire, and sighs the smoke, the ashes shame and scorns;
\nThe fuel Justice layeth on, and Mercy blows the coals,
\nThe metal in this furnace wrought are men\u2019s defiled souls,
\nFor which, as now on fire I am to work them to their good,
\nSo will I melt into a bath to wash them in my blood.\u201d
\nWith this he vanish\u2019d out of sight and swiftly shrunk away,
\nAnd straight I called unto mind that it was Christmas day.<\/p>\n
–Robert Southwell (1561–1595)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
As I in hoary winter\u2019s night stood shivering in the snow, Surpris\u2019d I was with sudden heat which made my heart to glow; And lifting up a fearful eye to view what fire was near, A pretty Babe all burning…<\/span><\/p>\n