HYMN by Eugene Field: Summary, Meaning & Analysis
This poem is a Christmas hymn, translated from German, inviting the speaker's heart to gaze upon the baby Jesus in the manger and welcome him within.
The poem
(FROM THE GERMAN OF MARTIN LUTHER) O heart of mine! lift up thine eyes And see who in yon manger lies! Of perfect form, of face divine-- It is the Christ-child, heart of mine! O dearest, holiest Christ-child, spread Within this heart of mine thy bed; Then shall my breast forever be A chamber consecrate to thee! Beat high to-day, O heart of mine, And tell, O lips, what joys are thine; For with your help shall I prolong Old Bethlehem's sweetest cradle-song. Glory to God, whom this dear Child Hath by His coming reconciled, And whose redeeming love again Brings peace on earth, good will to men!
This poem is a Christmas hymn, translated from German, inviting the speaker's heart to gaze upon the baby Jesus in the manger and welcome him within. The speaker asks Christ to dwell in their heart and vows to continue singing the timeless Bethlehem lullaby in response. It concludes with a joyful exclamation: through the birth of this child, God and humanity are reconciled once more.
Line-by-line
O heart of mine! lift up thine eyes / And see who in yon manger lies!
O dearest, holiest Christ-child, spread / Within this heart of mine thy bed;
Beat high to-day, O heart of mine, / And tell, O lips, what joys are thine;
Glory to God, whom this dear Child / Hath by His coming reconciled,
Tone & mood
The tone is warm, respectful, and genuinely joyful — avoiding the solemnity or heaviness that can sometimes come with religious verse. Field uses simple language and conveys emotion directly, creating a sense of a heartfelt carol instead of a formal theological statement. There’s a closeness throughout, particularly in the repeated phrase "O heart of mine," which makes the devotion feel personal rather than staged.
Symbols & metaphors
- The manger — The manger is known as the traditional birthplace of Jesus, but in this poem, it contrasts with the heart. The poem shifts the Christ-child from that rough, external cradle into the warm space of the speaker's chest, suggesting that genuine faith is a deeply personal act of welcome.
- The heart — The heart is described as both a source of emotion and a physical space — a room or chamber. By referring to it as a "chamber consecrate," Field transforms the human heart into a chapel, a space that can be made sacred by what it decides to embrace.
- The cradle-song — The cradle-song or lullaby reflects the living tradition of faith shared across generations. By vowing to "prolong" it, the speaker sees themselves as part of a long chain that reaches back to Bethlehem, adding a sense of community and history to their personal devotion.
- Peace on earth, good will to men — This phrase comes straight from the Gospel of Luke and symbolizes the reconciliation between God and humanity. Its familiarity adds extra weight for readers; it’s the point the entire poem has been leading to.
Historical context
Eugene Field was an American journalist and poet, renowned for his sentimental poetry about childhood and home life, most notably the beloved lullaby "Wynken, Blynken, and Nod." This poem is often described as a translation of a work by Martin Luther, the 16th-century reformer who also wrote many hymns, including the well-known "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God." It's unclear if Field based his poem on a specific text from Luther or created a more free adaptation, but attributing it to Luther was common in 19th-century American Christmas literature, where his name held significant weight in Protestant homes. Field was a prolific contributor to newspapers during the 1880s and early 1890s, and his Christmas writings gained immense popularity. He passed away in 1895 at the age of 45, and this hymn later appeared in collections of his works published after his death. The poem fits neatly within the Victorian tradition of personal, domestic religious poetry aimed at family audiences.
FAQ
No, the speaker is speaking to their own heart. This is a rhetorical device known as apostrophe, where someone addresses something that can't literally respond. By treating the heart as a separate listener, the devotion feels more urgent and alive, as if the speaker is trying to persuade themselves to experience the emotions they know they should feel.
Field attributes the work to Luther, noting that translating or adapting his hymns was a common practice in 19th-century American religious publishing. Luther indeed composed Christmas hymns, with "Von Himmel hoch" ("From Heaven Above") being one of the most famous. It's unclear whether the version in question is a direct translation of a specific text by Luther or a more creative adaptation influenced by his style. However, Field's contemporaries accepted this attribution.
Consecrate means to set something apart as holy or sacred. When the speaker refers to their breast as "a chamber consecrate to thee," they express that inviting Christ in will turn their ordinary human heart into a sacred space, much like how a church is dedicated for worship.
It refers to the lullabies and carols sung to the baby Jesus in the manger — a tradition of Christmas songs that traces back to Bethlehem. When the speaker promises to "prolong" it, they're expressing their commitment to keeping that tradition alive through their own singing and faith.
It originates from the Gospel of Luke (2:14), where angels visit shepherds on the night Jesus is born and sing, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." Field's final stanza closely mirrors that angelic song, which is why it resonates with readers, even those unfamiliar with this poem.
In Christian theology, reconciliation refers to restoring the fractured relationship between God and humanity due to sin. The poem suggests that Christ's birth represents the moment this relationship is restored. Field chooses this word intentionally — it conveys more than simply "made peace," as it suggests that something truly broken has been truly repaired.
Each stanza uses an AABB rhyme scheme — pairs of rhyming couplets. This pattern is among the oldest and most popular in hymn writing due to its ease of memorization and singing. The four-line stanza with this structure is often referred to as a hymn stanza or long meter, linking this poem directly to the tradition of congregational singing.
The repetition acts like a chorus in a song, bringing the poem back to its main theme: this is a deeply personal act of faith, not something for public display. Each time the phrase comes up, it serves as a reminder that the poem focuses on the inner feelings of an individual rather than a grand theological spectacle.