Where Were You Born?

Blue Delft Nativity

Where Were You Born, Oh Holy Child?

Where were you born Oh Holy Child
Where were you born Oh Holy Child
Was it in Russia, Palestine, China, Egypt or here?

Where did you live Oh Holy Child
Where did you live your life
Was it in Asia, Africa
Or was it here?

Where did you die Oh Holy Child
Where did you die Oh Holy Child
Was it not every place, in every place
Or here?

Where were you born Oh Holy Child
Where were you born again?
In some land strange and far apart
Or in my heart?

Where did you live Oh Holy Child
Where did you die Oh Holy Child
Where were you born Oh Child
Where were you born again?

Where did you die Oh Holy Child
Where were you born again
In some land strange and far apart
Or in my heart
Or deep within my heart?

~ lyrics by Mary Kay Simmons
~ music by Arnold Freed

Nativity Embroidery Pattern

Born of Peace

When all the earth was cruelly held in ancient winter's grasp,
When hope was old and faded, or strewn like shattered glass,
A universe of promises stretched deep across the sky
And death began to die.

REFRAIN: Born of peace, born of forever.
Born of time, born here today.
Born of fire, born of light,
in the midst of deepest night.
Born of bread, born of people.

Restless and uncertain, we journeyed through the night,
Led by common dreaming and a single wand'ring light,
Fed upon our traveling by singing from afar.
Hidden in our stars. (Refrain)

Through night - time's speechless carnival,
and windblown crystal sun,
We carried what we had and what we needed to become,
Our murdered dreams behind us, weathered, parched
and tossed,
Starry- eyed and lost. (Refrain)

From foreign lands and alien gods and fixed unwav'ring skies,
Whose buried secret chaos holds all prisoner inside,
Beyond the restless longing where our desp'rate hopes belong,
Nearer to our song. (Refrain)

Who has cupped in hand the waters of the sea?
Who has bound the sky and weighed the mountains?
Who has opened rivers from atop the barren height?
Who has heard the crying of God's own?
Have you not seen? Have you not hear?
Stories told long before rememb'ring;
Sheltered on our way, and passed among us all,
Singing in the midst of darkling silence.

Born of peace, born of forever.
Born of time, born here today.
Born of fire, born of light,
in the midst of deepest night.
Born of bread.

Born of peace, born of forever.
Born of time, born here today.
Born of fire, born of light,
in the midst of deepest night.
Born of bread, born of people, people.

~ lyrics & music by Tom Conry

It's not easy to find a recording of this beautiful song.
The best version I've heard is by Robin Kochis
on the CD Christmas of Peace

Another lovely & unusual Christmas song.