It Came Upon A Midnight Clear

 It Came Upon A Midnight Clear  

 

"It Came Upon a Midnight Clear" is an 1849 poem and Christmas carol written by Edmund Sears, pastor of the Unitarian Church in Wayland, Massachusetts. In 1850, Sears' lyrics were set to "Carol", a tune written for the poem the same year at his request, by Richard Storrs Willis.  

Kinglet refers to the Ruby-crowned Kinglet, a friend’s favorite winter bird, native to our area. 

It came upon a midnight clear 
That glorious song of old 

From snowflakes falling to the earth 

Upon the ground so cold 

Peace on the earth, good will to friends 

As we are surrounded with chills 

The world holds solemn reverence 

To rectify all ills 

  

Still through the cloven skies they come 

The furious drifting flakes 

And all their powder-white patterns float 

Like sugar sprinkled on cakes 

Above the ice-bitten, snowy plains 

The cardinals take to flight 

And ever over the icy brooks 

The Owls soar at night 

 

All ye, beneath life's crushing load 

Whose forms are bending low 

Who toil long hours every day 

With painful steps, so slow 

Look now for glad and golden hours 

Come swiftly on the wing 

O rest beside the weary road 

And hear the kinglet sing 

 

For lo, the days are hastening on,  
As yearly patterns foretold,  
When with the ever-circling years  
Comes ‘round the age of gold  
When peace shall over all the earth  
Its comforting splendors fling,  
And all the world give grateful thanks  
With all our family sing.