When I was in the primary class at Emmanuel Pentecostal Church in the 1950s, we little ones stood on the platform and repeated "Pieces" like this one: I know of a name a beautiful name/ that unto a babe was given The stars glittered bright t/hroughout that glad night And angels praised God in heaven. That was my introduction to poetry at Christmas, how was I to know the poetry had been going on for centuries? Read on, and see why!

In the winter of 1741, George Frideric Handel was a broken man. Once celebrated, now deeply in debt, physically weakened, and emotionally exhausted, he faced public failure and private despair. Some believed his best work was behind him. Others thought he was finished. Then a libretto arrived — not a play, not an opera, not a story of kings or lovers — but pure Scripture. You know the rest.. It was not written to entertain.It was written to proclaim.