A Christmas Fancy

By Robert Fuller Murray

Narrative Poem
                Early on Christmas Day,                 Love, as awake I lay,     And heard the Christmas bells ring sweet and clearly,                 My heart stole through the gloom                 Into your silent room,     And whispered to your heart, 'I love you dearly.'                 There, in the dark profound,                 Your heart was sleeping sound,     And dreaming some fair dream of summer weather.                 At my heart's word it woke,                 And, ere the morning broke,     They sang a Christmas carol both together.                 Glory to God on high!                 Stars of the morning sky,     Sing as ye sang upon the first creation,                 When all the Sons of God                 Shouted for joy abroad,     And earth was laid upon a sure foundation.                 Glory to God again!                 Peace and goodwill to men,     And kindly feeling all the wide world over,                 Where friends with joy and mirth                 Meet round the Christmas hearth,     Or dreams of home the solitary rover.                 Glory to God!    True hearts,                 Lo, now the dark departs,     And morning on the snow-clad hills grows grey.                 Oh, may love's dawning light                 Kindled from loveless night,     Shine more and more unto the perfect day!

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Poem Details

Language: English
Keywords: Public Domain
Source: Public Domain Collection
Rights/Permissions: Public Domain
Analysis & Notes:
This poem is a lyrical and intimate expression of love on Christmas Day, with a strong emphasis on the quiet, personal moment between two people. The structure is formal, with a consistent stanza pattern and rhyme scheme, and a meter that is largely iambic tetrameter. The voice is that of a lover, speaking directly to their partner, and the language is rich and sensual, with vivid imagery and sound. The poem's turn in the fourth stanza, where the focus shifts from the lovers' private moment to the wider world, marked by the carolers' song, serves to underscore the universality of love and joy. The final stanza's return to the lovers' private world, with a focus on the light of love, serves to reinforce the poem's central theme. One precise observation about the poem is that its use of the word glory becomes increasingly repetitive and insistent, from the first stanza's Glory to God on high to the final stanza's Glory to God! True hearts, where it becomes a kind of refrain, underscoring the speaker's conviction that love is a transcendent and worthy of praise.

Exploring Narrative Poetry

Narrative poetry is a form of poetry that tells a story, often making use of the voices of a narrator and characters as well. Unlike lyric poetry, which focuses on emotions and thoughts, narrative poetry is dedicated to storytelling, weaving tales that captivate readers through plot and character development.

Narrative poems are unique in their ability to combine the depth of storytelling with the expressive qualities of poetry. Here are some defining characteristics:

  • Structured Plot: Narrative poems typically have a clear beginning, middle, and end, following a plot that might involve conflict, climax, and resolution, much like a short story or novel.
  • Character Development: Characters in narrative poems are often well-developed, with distinct voices and personalities that drive the story forward.
  • Descriptive Language: The language used in narrative poetry is vivid and descriptive, painting a clear picture of the scenes and events, while also conveying the emotions and atmosphere of the story.

From ancient epics like "The Iliad" and "The Odyssey" to more modern narrative poems, this form continues to engage readers by blending the art of storytelling with the beauty and rhythm of poetry.