by Langston Hughes (1901 - 1967)

Shepherd's Song at Christmas
Language: English 
Look there at the star!
I, among the least,
Will arise and take
A journey to the East.
But what shall I bring
As a present for the King?
What shall I bring to the Manger?
     I will bring a song,
     A song that I will sing,
     A song that I will sing,
     In the Manger.

Watch out for my flocks,
Do not let them stray.
I am going on a journey
Far, far away.
But what shall I bring
As a present for the Child?
What shall I bring to the Manger?
     I will bring a lamb,
     Gentle, meek, and mild,
     A lamb for the Child
     In the Manger.

I’m just a shepherd boy,
Very poor I am—
But I know there is
A King in Bethlehem.
What shall I bring
As a present just for Him?
What shall I bring to the Manger?
     I will bring my heart
     And give my heart to Him.
     I will bring my heart
     To the Manger.

Please note: this text, provided here for educational and research use, is in the public domain in Canada, but it may still be copyright in other legal jurisdictions. The LiederNet Archive makes no guarantee that the above text is public domain in your country. Please consult your country's copyright statutes or a qualified IP attorney to verify whether a certain text is in the public domain in your country or if downloading or distributing a copy constitutes fair use. The LiederNet Archive assumes no legal responsibility or liability for the copyright compliance of third parties.

Confirmed with Langston Hughes, The Collected Works of Langston Hughes, Volume 11, University of Missouri Press, 2001, p.109


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Researcher for this page: Joost van der Linden [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website: 2026-02-20
Line count: 33
Word count: 164