Kathleen's
poetry collection "Poems by K.E.B." includes several poems written
during the First World War.
Sources:
Information kindly supplied by Lesley Young who has carried out
extensive research on the life and work of Kathleen, and members of Kathleen's
family.
Christmas
Eve, 1916 by Kathleen Ethel Burne
The little
lamp burns bright; the Babe
Lies in the
manger there;The mother bends above; her hands
Are clasped in praise and prayer;
Her tender face a-light with love
Looks down upon Him there.
To save the world from sin.
So still and peaceful lies the scene-
How crept the evil in?
What madness swept across the earth
And plunged the world in sin?
The
Shepherds kneel, simple souls,
Beneath the
open skyThey learn to read the signs of God
And humbly drawing nigh
They worship here the Sign that flamed
From out the midnight sky.
The Wise Men
from the East with gifts
In adoration
dumbBend low. Stern searchers after truth,
But yet in faith they come:
Before the Mother and the Child
Their restless doubts are dumb.
The gentle
large-eyed ox, the ass,
Stand gazing
without fear;The camels through the open door,
And small wild things draw near-
Where all is love and peace and joy,
What room is there for fear?
So sweet and peaceful is the scene-
Ah, whence crept evil in?-
Give peace, O God, to weary hearts
And cleanse our souls from sin !
Stretch forth Thine arms, all-loving God
And draw Thy children in !
