December 24, 2012
CHRISTMAS 2012
The Snow in the Street
From far away we come to you
The snow in the street and the wind on the door
To tell of great tidings strange and true
Minstrels and maids stand forth on the floor
For as we wandered far and wide
The snow in the street and the wind on the door
What hap do you deem there should us betide?
Minstrels and maids stand forth on the floor
Under a bent when the night was deep
The snow in the street and the wind on the door
There lay three shepherds tending their sheep
Minstrels and maids stand forth on the floor
O ye shepherds what have ye seen
The snow in the street and the wind on the door
To slay your sorrow and heal your teen?
Minstrels and maids stand forth on the floor
In an ox-stall this night we saw
The snow in the street and the wind on the door
A Babe and a Maid without a flaw
Minstrels and maids stand forth on the floor
There was an old man there beside
The snow in the street and the wind on the door
His hair was white and his hood was wide
Minstrels and maids stand forth on the floor
And as we gazed this thing upon
The snow in the street and the wind on the door
Those twain knelt down to the little one
Minstrels and maids stand forth on the floor
And a marvelous song we straight did hear
The snow in the street and the wind on the door
That slew our sorrow and healed our care
Minstrels and maids stand forth on the floor
News of a fair and a marvelous thing
The snow in the street and the wind on the door
Nowell, nowell, nowell, we sing!
Minstrels and maids stand forth on the floor
From far away we come to you
To tell of great tidings strange and true
December 24th, 2011
CHRISTMAS 2011
Down in Yon Forest
Down in yon forest there stands a hall
The bells of Paradise I heard them ring
It’s covered all over with purple and pall
And I love my Lord Jesus above anything
In that hall there stands a bed
The bells of Paradise I heard them ring
It’s covered all over with scarlet so red
And I love my Lord Jesus above anything
At the bedside there lies a stone
The bells of Paradise I heard them ring
Which the sweet Virgin Mary knelt upon
And I love my Lord Jesus above anything
Under that bed there runs a flood
The bells of Paradise I heard them ring
The one half runs water the other runs blood
And I love my Lord Jesus above anything
At the bed’s foot there grows a thorn
The bells of Paradise I heard them ring
Which ever blows blossoms since he was born
And I love my Lord Jesus above anything
Over that bed the moon shines bright
The bells of Paradise I heard them ring
Denoting our Savior was born this night
And I love my Lord Jesus above anything
December 25th, 2010
CHRISTMAS 2010
The Coventry Carol
Lully, lullay, Thou little tiny Child
Bye-bye, lully, lullay
Lullay, Thou little tiny Child
Bye-bye, lully, lullay
O sisters too, how may we do
For to preserve this day
This poor Youngling for whom we do sing
Bye-bye, lully, lullay
Herod the king, in his raging
Charged he hath this day
His men of might, in his own sight
All children young to slay
Then woe is me, poor Child for Thee
And ever mourn and sigh
For thy parting neither say nor sing
Bye-bye, lully, lullay
MASSACRE OF THE INNOCENTS
January 14th, 2010
The wheels of science turn slowly, but the NY State Ornithological Association has finally gotten back issues of The Kingbird online, including 2007 #4 which includes my article on Brooklyn’s Western Reef-Heron. See page 6 and 29 of the pdf.
More on Calvert Vaux Park here; the species list is now over 200.