Two thousand years!--two thousand years
Since Mary, with a mother's fears,
Brought forth for all humanities
The Christian of the centuries;
And now men turn from toil away
To celebrate his natal day
By feasting happy hours away
And giving gifts with lavish hand,
Throughout the length of every land;--
A noble custom nobly born
In Bethlehem one holy morn,
But intermingling with the good,
A pagan custom long has stood,
As you and I and all may see--
This war against the greenwood tree,
This robbing of posterity,--
Until the burden of my rhyme
Is of this crime of Christmastime.