The Innumerable Christ

The Innumerable Christ
by Hugh MacDiarmid

Wha kens on whatna Bethlehems
Earth twinkles like a star the nicht,
And whatna shepherds lift their heids
In its unearthly licht?

Yont aw the stars oor een can see
And farther than their lichts can fly,
In mony an unco warld the nicht
The fatefu bairnies cry.

In mony an unco warld the nicht
The lift gaes black as pitch at noon,
And sideways on their chists the heids
O endless Christs roll doon.

And when the earth’s as cauld’s the mune
And aw its folk are lang syne deid,
On coontless stars the Babe maun cry
And the Crucified maun bleed.