Chrystmasse of Olde by Eugene Field
The poem tells the story of a poor and lonely old man who spends Christmas alone, with no one to share his festive meal with. He has a small Christmas dinner, but it's a meager affair. The old man's cat is his only companion on this special day.
By Eugene Field · First published 1897 · Genre: Religious Poetry, Christmas Literature, Lyric Poetry · 220 words
First lines
God rest you, Chrysten gentil men, / Wherever you may be, -- / God rest you all in fielde or hall, / Or on ye stormy sea; / For on this morn oure Chryst is born / That saveth you and me.
Last night ye shepherds in ye east / Saw many a wondrous thing; / Ye sky last night flamed passing bright / Whiles that ye stars did sing, / And angels came to bless ye name / Of Jesus Chryst, oure Kyng.
God rest you, Chrysten gentil men, / Faring where'er you may; / In noblesse court do thou no sport, / In tournament no playe, / In paynim lands hold thou thy hands / From bloudy works this daye.
What this Textopian page supports
Chrystmasse of Olde is listed on Textopian as a poem by Eugene Field, dated 1897 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Eugene Field
- Date: 1897 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Religious Poetry, Christmas Literature, Lyric Poetry, Narrative Poetry, Traditional Verse
- Length: 220 words
- Structure: 1 section, 4 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Chrystmasse of Olde by Eugene Field
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Similar titles
- April by Eugene Field
- Gettin On by Eugene Field
- Horace Ii 7 by Eugene Field
- A Paraphrase by Eugene Field
- A Heine Love Song by Eugene Field
- Thirty Nine by Eugene Field
Genres
- Religious Poetry — The poem centers around the birth of Christ and conveys themes of peace and reverence, characteristic of religious poetry.
- Christmas Literature — The work specifically addresses the Christmas theme, celebrating the birth of Christ, making it a significant piece of Christmas literature.
- Lyric Poetry — The poem expresses personal feelings and emotions related to the Christmas celebration, fitting the characteristics of lyric poetry.
- Narrative Poetry — The poem tells a story about the birth of Christ and the reactions of shepherds, aligning it with narrative poetry.
Tags
Christmas · Poetry · Victorian Era · Nostalgic · Humorous · Satirical · Social Commentary · Middle Class Life · Family Dynamics · Holiday Traditions · Rural Life · American Literature