The Advent Moon Shines Cold and Clear / Douglas Brooks-Davies

Blogger's Note: The LDS church does not celebrate Advent, but the text of this piece is stunning. It could be easily adapted for Church use.

SOURCE - CPDL
FOR - organ and SATB
TEXT - Adapted from Advent (This Advent moon shines cold and clear), by Christina Rossetti

The Advent moon shines cold and clear;
These Advent nights are very long.

The Advent moon shines bright and clear;
These Advent nights are very long;
Our lamps have burned year after year,
And still their flame is strong.

‘Watchman, what of the night?’ we cry,
Heartsick with hope deferred:
‘No speaking signs are in the sky’,
Is still the watchman’s word.

One to another hear them speak,
The patient virgins wise:
Surely He is not far to seek,
All night we watch and rise.

The days are evil looking back,
The coming days are dim,
Yet count we not His promise slack,
But watch and wait for Him.

Weeping we hold him fast tonight,
We will not let Him go
Till daybreak smite our wearied sight,
And summer smite the snow:

Then figs shall bud, and dove with dove
Shall coo the livelong day;
Then He shall say ‘Arise, my love,
My fair one, come away!’

The Advent moon shines cold and clear.
We watch and wait.