Draw near with me beside the open door:
watch while his mother lays him down to sleep;
look how his home is here among the poor,
his lullaby the bleating of the sheep.
Who is this boy? What will he be?
Where will he live, how will he grow?
What will he hear, who will he see?
What will he think, what will he know?
Draw near with me and see his precious head
wherein the wisdom of the ages hides,
hands that will touch the sick and break the bread
to share with outcasts whom the world derides.
When will he walk, where will he go?
When will he talk, what will he say?
How will he work, what will he do?
Who is this boy born here today?
Draw near with me and celebrate his birth
into the world in which we live and move!
Sharing the breath of life with all on earth,
he gives his priceless gifts of peace and love.
Jennifer Henderson [1929 - ]
Commissioned for Colet Court School Choir and first performed at St Mary Abbots Parish Church, London, conductor Matthew Jelf, 7th December 2012.