Sara Teasdale's poem contrasts the familiar stories of shepherds and magi with the priorities of a sleepy newborn. The poet gathers pilgrims from the north, south, east, and heaven above; they converge on the stable in Bethlehem, where the infant Jesus demonstrates that the desires of babies are not those of adults and falls asleep. The bassoon and piano accompaniment both play an integral role in the story while the independent vocal lines set the scene and tell the story.