A Christmas poem study

I came across a great Christmas poem study a few months ago and have been anxiously awaiting December to start it with Chloe and Kievan. The study, which focuses on Robert Southwell's poem "The Burning Babe", was compiled by Maureen Wittmann, a Catholic writer. It's not a poem I would have ever attempted to teach by myself, but Wittmann's insights and direction make it doable (at least "tryable").

Here is the poem:
THE BURNING BABE.
By Robert Southwell

As I in hoary winter's night stood
shivering in the snow,
Surprised I was with sudden heat
which made my heart to glow ;

And lifting up a fearful eye
to view what fire was near,
A pretty babe all burning bright
did in the air appear ;

Who, scorchëd with excessive heat,
such floods of tears did shed
As though his floods should quench his flames
which with his tears were fed.

Alas, quoth he, but newly born
in fiery heats I fry,
Yet none approach to warm their hearts
or feel my fire but I !

My faultless breast the furnace is,
the fuel wounding thorns,
Love is the fire, and sighs the smoke,
the ashes shame and scorns ;

The fuel justice layeth on,
and mercy blows the coals,
The metal in this furnace wrought
are men's defilëd souls,

For which, as now on fire
I am to work them to their good,
So will I melt into a bath
to wash them in my blood.

With this he vanished out of sight
and swiftly shrunk away,
And straight I callëd unto mind
that it was Christmas day.