Christmas poem written at Ellicott's Mills in 1856 by M. C. P.

Someone from Ellicott's Mills - M. C. P.  (Pue?) wrote a poem about Christmas for the magazine The Little Pilgrim (Phila: April, 1856)

MY CHRISTMAS WREATH.

BY M. C. P.  

Would you know what kind of blossoms

   I twined in my Christmas Wreath?

Were they leaves of living myrtle

  And berries red beneath?

Was it a garland of young flowers,

  From tropic regions brought?

Or pearls and gems of lustre rare,

  In ocean's caverns sought?

Oh no! my wreath for Christmas,

  That day of joy and love,

Was a wreath of young Immortals,

  Such as Jesus, from above,

Looked on with eye of mercy

  From His radiant throne on High,

And left His Father's munitions,

  For them to bleed and die.

My Bellas, Fannies, Lizzies,

 My Maggies, Emma dear,

My Bessies, gentle Mary,

  They formed my garland fair;

To me they are far more precious

  Than buds from tropic bowers,

Than gems of rarest lustre—

  My young immortal flowers!

And now, on Christmas morning,

  Meekly present I them,

With heart of deepest gratitude

 To the "Babe of Bethlehem,"

And pray my blest Redeemer

 My oblation to receive,

And through His love and mercy

  My garland flowers to save. 

Ellicott's Mills, Md

©2017 Patricia Bixler Reber
Forgotten history of Ellicott City & Howard County MD