Poor world, said I, what wilt thou do

To entertain this starry stranger?

Is this the best thou canst bestow—

A cold and not too cleanly manger?

Contend, the powers of heaven and earth,

To fit a bed for this huge birth.


I saw the curl’d drops, soft and slow,

Come hovering o’er the place’s head,

Off’ring their whitest sheets of snow.