A Christmas Carol.

This poem, a classic Christmas carol, is a meditation on the paradox of divine majesty and human vulnerability. The poem's stark, wintry landscape serves as a backdrop for the Incarnation, where God's power is contained in a humble stable. The structure, with its repetitive refrain of In the bleak mid-winter and six-stanza pattern, creates a sense of continuity and emphasizes the poem's central theme. The meter, largely iambic, adds to the sense of steady, plodding rhythm, mirroring the monotony of the winter landscape. The voice, that of a humble supplicant, is characterized by a sense of awe and reverence. The use of imagery, such as the frosty wind made moan and water like a stone, creates a sense of desolation and cold, which is then juxtaposed with the warmth and life of the newborn Christ. The sound of the poem, with its repetition of In the bleak mid-winter and the use of assonance in words like stone and throne, adds to the sense of musicality and creates a sense of intimacy and devotion. The poem's structural turn, where the focus shifts from the external world to the inner life of the speaker, marks a tonal shift from one of reverence to one of personal devotion, as the speaker offers their heart as a gift to the Christ child.