Poems (Howard)/The Shepherds of Judea
The Shepherds of Judea.
O favored people! just as bright The halo round their name to-day As when they watched their flocks by night While in the manger Jesus lay; When from the skies an angel-throng Looked down upon the wondrous scene, And in exultant, choral song Awoke the hills of Palestine.
These shepherd-men exemplified True kindliness in word and look; And called their sheep unto their side, And in their arms the lambkins took So gently that beyond a doubt As loving, tender hearts were theirs As ever poured their fullness out In honest, earnest, humble prayers.
No harshness moved the patient lip, No hand e'er dealt a cruel blow, For care and long companionship Of gentle things had made them so; And yet, if near their precious fold Might danger lurk in cave or den—Rapacious beast, or robber bold— They could be stern like other men.
The fleecy covering of their flocks Became their own, while flowing hair In unconfined, uncared-for locks Surrounding foreheads bronzed and bare, And patriarchal beard that fell Upon each weather-beaten breast, The story plainly seemed to tell No thought of self their minds distressed.
What theme inspired their social talk? For naught could be the world to them, The circuit of whose daily walk But girt the plains of Bethlehem; In palaces and works of art, And scenes of revelry approved By royalty, they bore no part— Nor envyings their spirits moved.
And if perchance they ever heard Of pompous king or glittering court, Or felt the passing interest stirred By pageantry of armed cohort—Contented, peaceful sons of Earth!— They wondered, when the crests were gone, How life the living could be worth So diametric to their own.
Perchance on some celestial night Delicious, clear, though wanting stars, When moonbeams poured their mellow light Though olive-boughs in silver bars, Recounted one in sympathy How briers held some bleating lamb Till his the hand that set it free, Restored it to its frantic dam.
Or of a hungry lion bold That overleaped the rugged wall And seized the firstling of the fold, The choicest jewel 'mong them all; When to the rescue swiftly came Those ever-faithful servitors Which, though a pedigree might claim, Appeared but gaunt and savage curs.
So, in exterior, were they Scarce comelier than their shepherd-dogs—Yet they revered the Sabbath-day And went up in the synagogues And heard the law, which they believed; And gave to God their offerings, From whom a wisdom they received Surpassing far the lore of kings.
O shepherds! on Judean plains Who sang your simple, pastoral songs And kept your vigils, earth contains A remnant yet to whom belongs That heritage of faith and trust, As nature pure and free from art, The child-like feeling that we must "Love God with all our mind and heart."
For echoes still that matchless strain, The symphony by seraphs sung, And thrills the world with its refrain Wherever joy hath found a tongue; From mountain-top and sunny vale, From desert waste and wooded glen Unnumbered throngs the tidings hail Of "Peace on Earth, Good-will to Men."