The first time I read this poem I instantly thought of Jesus' birth and Christmas time for the obvious reasons that it mentions Christmas Eve quite often. When it speaks of the oxen kneeling, that brings to mind the manger scene with all of the sheperds and animals that surrounded Jesus on his birthday. The tone of this poem seems somewhat forlorn and gloomy even though Christmas is usually a happy and exciting time.
When the speaker refers to what "our childhood used to know," it makes me think that maybe he was there during Jesus' birth and he is remembering what it was like on that Christmas Eve. Then again, it wouldn't be called Christmas Eve yet because it would have been the first time Jesus had ever walked the earth.
This version of hope at the end of the poem is not exactly a looking forward hope. Instead, he seems to be reluctant to what might come next. "I should go with him in the gloom" sounds like he has to go and not that he necessarily wants to go. This seems more like a burden than anything else for the speaker.
When the speaker refers to what "our childhood used to know," it makes me think that maybe he was there during Jesus' birth and he is remembering what it was like on that Christmas Eve. Then again, it wouldn't be called Christmas Eve yet because it would have been the first time Jesus had ever walked the earth.
This version of hope at the end of the poem is not exactly a looking forward hope. Instead, he seems to be reluctant to what might come next. "I should go with him in the gloom" sounds like he has to go and not that he necessarily wants to go. This seems more like a burden than anything else for the speaker.
Post a Comment